A shocking new analysis reveals the massive carbon footprint disparity between America’s ultra-wealthy and the world’s most vulnerable populations. According to data shared with The Guardian, the richest 0.1% of Americans—comprising billionaires and multimillionaires—generate carbon emissions at a staggering rate 4,000 times higher than the poorest 10% of people globally.

The research, conducted by Oxfam, highlights how this small group of super-wealthy individuals is rapidly depleting our planet’s “safe climate space”—the amount of carbon we can emit while still avoiding catastrophic climate change. These ultra-rich Americans are consuming this critical environmental budget at 183 times the global average rate.

This carbon inequality underscores a troubling reality: while climate change disproportionately impacts the world’s poorest communities through extreme weather, rising sea levels, and agricultural disruption, those least responsible for the crisis bear the heaviest burden. Meanwhile, the wealthiest individuals—whose lifestyles include private jets, multiple luxury homes, and resource-intensive investments—contribute enormously to the problem.

The findings add urgency to ongoing debates about climate justice and the role of wealth in driving environmental destruction. As world leaders continue to negotiate global climate targets, this data suggests that addressing the outsized carbon footprints of the ultra-wealthy may be crucial for meeting international climate goals and protecting vulnerable populations worldwide.