Thinktank predicts wider inequality gap and calls for revised policies to tackle flying and excess private car use
Inequality in transport emissions between the richest and the poorest in the UK is set to widen dramatically over the next decade, an analysis has found.
The most affluent and mobile already produce 10 times more carbon through their domestic travel than the poorest and least mobile. Under current decarbonisation policies, thinktank researchers forecast this to grow to 13 times by 2035.
But revised policies that tackle domestic flying and excess private car use could not only lessen inequality, they say, but also reduce emissions faster overall.
“Fairness isn’t a barrier to climate action – it’s the key to unlocking it,” said Stephen Frost, the head of transport policy at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). “A fairer approach doesn’t just cut carbon faster, it builds a healthier, more inclusive transport system for everyone.”
