Emissions would rise by 26% in a world without poverty, Amsterdam study says

Greenhouse gas emissions would grow an additional 26 percent if everyone in the world escaped poverty and no changes were made to how wealthier groups consume resources. Water and land use, as well as nutrient pollution would also increase by 2 to 5 percent, researchers wrote in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Nature Sustainability, on Thursday.

The study was led by researchers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) who examined data from 2018. For that year, it was calculated how much extra strain humanity would place on the planet if everyone had "fair access" to "the minimum requirements for a dignified existence." Resources, materials, and supplies should be better distributed so that everyone can escape poverty, the researchers said.

Lead author Crelis Rammelt especially noted that the increase in greenhouse gases would be "huge." He added, "At the same time, we found that the extra pressure is equal to the burden on the Earth caused by the richest 1 to 4 percent of people in 2018." The wealthy must significantly adapt to achieve social and environmental goals, he said.

According to the researchers, "major redistributions and fundamental shifts in society are needed."

The United Nations aims to end extreme poverty by 2030. In its description of Sustainable Development Goals, the UN defined extreme poverty as concerning people who now have to get by on less than $1.25 a day. In general, poverty should be reduced by at least half by 2030.