Consumption inequalities in material use undermining resources sustainability

Growing global material consumption has pushed the Earth beyond safe planetary boundaries, yet little is known about how this burden is distributed across individuals. This study quantifies the inequality in household material footprints (MFs) using detailed global expenditure data from 168 countries, linked with a multiregional input–output approach. Results reveal stark inequalities: the top 10% consumers contribute 36% of global total household MFs, while the bottom 50% of consumers account for merely 18%. Inequality is especially pronounced in non-renewable resources such as metals and fossil fuels. Furthermore, elasticity analysis reveals a recoupling of resource use with high consumption, challenging the notion of absolute decoupling. These findings suggest that current sustainability policies about resource focusing on national efficiency gains may fall short without addressing the material-intensive lifestyles of the affluent. Targeting overconsumption at the top could reduce ecological overshoot and create space for sustainable development and material sufficiency for the global majority.