Income Inequality and Carbon Emissions in the United States 1929–2019

• This paper studies the relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions in the United States between 1929 and 2019. We contribute to the literature by taking a long-term perspective, which allows us to study how the relationship has varied over time. Our results show that higher inequality was associated with lower emissions during the early part of the sample and higher emissions towards the end of the sample. Changes in consumption and investment patterns across income groups may partially explain the time-varying effect of inequality on emissions.

• This paper studies the relationship between income inequality and carbon emissions in the United States between 1929 and 2019. We contribute to the literature by taking a long-term perspective, which allows us to study how the relationship has varied over time. Our results show that higher inequality was associated with lower emissions during the early part of the sample and higher emissions towards the end of the sample. Changes in consumption and investment patterns across income groups may partially explain the time-varying effect of inequality on emissions

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Nationalekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Economics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

inequality

climate change

carbon dioxide emissions

taxation

Inequality

climate change

carbon emissions

income redistribution

taxation

Publication and Content Type

ovr (subject category)

vet (subject category)