Given the dual crises of climate change and rising economic inequality, it is imperative to improve the synergy between climate mitigation and income inequality reduction. Domestic income inequality is linked to nations’ carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through multiple theorized pathways. Using a multidimensional framework, multiregional input–output analysis, panel regression analysis, and a sample of 34 high-income nations from 2004 to 2015, I investigate the relationships between nations’ income inequality and four components of CO2 emissions with distinct implications for climate change mitigation: (1) emissions generated by domestic-oriented supply chain activities; (2) emissions embodied in exports; (3) direct emissions from end-user activities; and (4) emissions embodied in imports. I theorize that income inequality is heterogeneously related to the four emission components via different pathways. Results show that the relationships vary across emission components, change over time, and differ between inequality measures. The Gini coefficient is generally less influential on CO2 emissions than the income share of the top 10%. Notably, the income share of the top 10% is negatively related to direct end-user emissions from 2009 to 2011 and positively related to emissions in exports from 2011 to 2015, indicating variations in pathways both across emission components and over time—especially during and after the Great Recession. The findings underscore the multidimensionality in the income inequality-CO2 emissions relationship. Whether reducing income inequality can generate the co-benefit of emission abatement while avoiding a potential trade-off is a context-specific question that requires careful policy design and implementation.

中文翻译：

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利用共利，避免权衡：收入不平等与二氧化碳排放之间的复杂关系


鉴于气候变化和经济不平等加剧的双重危机，必须改善减缓气候变化和减少收入不平等之间的协同作用。国内收入不平等通过多种理论途径与国家的二氧化碳 （CO2） 排放相关联。使用多维框架、多区域投入产出分析、面板回归分析和 2004 年至 2015 年的 34 个高收入国家的样本，我调查了国家收入不平等与 CO2 排放的四个组成部分之间的关系，这些组成部分对减缓气候变化有明显影响：（1） 面向国内的供应链活动产生的排放;（2） 出口中包含的排放量;（3） 最终用户活动的直接排放;（4） 进口中包含的排放量。我的理论认为，收入不平等通过不同的途径与四个排放成分异质相关。结果表明，不同排放分量之间的关系不同，随时间变化，并且不平等度量之间的关系也不同。基尼系数对 CO2 排放的影响通常小于前 10% 的收入份额。值得注意的是，前 10% 的收入份额与 2009 年至 2011 年最终用户的直接排放量呈负相关，与 2011 年至 2015 年的出口排放量呈正相关，这表明不同排放成分和时间的路径存在差异，尤其是在大衰退期间和之后。研究结果强调了收入不平等与 CO2 排放关系的多维性。减少收入不平等是否能产生减排的协同效益，同时避免潜在的权衡取舍，是一个因地制宜的问题，需要仔细的政策设计和实施。