A joint study by researchers from Oxford University and Leiden University has found that the world’s wealthiest 10 percent of consumers are responsible for annual environmental damage worth 570 trillion US dollars. The study, published on June 19, 2026, reveals that the climate and biodiversity losses caused by this group exceed the economic output of any country except the United States and China. Most of these high-consuming individuals live in developed nations, with over half of the US population and 40–45 percent of the European Union’s population falling into this category.

The research identifies two main sectors driving the damage: food, particularly red meat linked to deforestation, and energy use, including air travel and home heating or cooling reliant on fossil fuels. On average, each person in the top 10 percent causes between 2,300 and 7,500 dollars in annual environmental harm, rising to as much as 63,000 dollars in the United States. Biodiversity loss accounts for up to 56 percent of total damage, while climate impacts make up 36–45 percent.

Researchers suggest that governments could impose taxes on luxury goods, wealth, and carbon emissions from this group to reduce pollution and fund sustainable development.