Wealthy white men from rural areas are the UK’s biggest emitters of climate-heating gases from transport, according to a study.
Research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) looked at transport emissions by income, gender, location, ethnicity and age. The study broke down the transport emissions into international and domestic flights, private road transport and public transport.
The richest 0.1% in Britain emit 22 times more from transport than low earners, and 12 times more than average. The data finds that income is directly linked to levels of mobility, with people who earn more than £100,000 travelling on average at least double the distance each year compared with those on incomes under £30,000.
Those in the most deprived 10% are responsible for by far the fewest emissions, though flying still makes up more than half of their total emissions.
Oddly enough, it looks like the Guardian is the only one making this expressly about white men. I’m guessing demographically speaking, white men are the majority when it comes to transport pollution by rich people because the majority of rich people are white men.
Unfortunately bringing race into stuff still attracts more clicks from conservative and/or non-caucasian cohorts, in this case. The “rich white male” and “white privilege” stereotypes are just positive racism that’s sadly still kicking around for this reason, despite the majority of people obviously not sharing any of the traits since birth, as if they get to decide that part of their life anyway. But we do see it a lot less, which makes me wonder who’s going to be targeted by “racism, not racism” next. Hopefully never anything again like people from Muslim nations copped a couple decades ago. Thanks, media.