Super-rich get ‘double dividend’ from causes and costs of climate crisis, report finds

The richest 0.1% have reportedly contributed by 125 times more than the average person to extreme heat events, through their investments and lifestyles such as the use of private jets. Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP

The world’s wealthiest people are not just profiting from the polluting causes of climate breakdown, they are also increasingly cashing in on the catastrophic consequences, according to a study by Oxfam.

The global equality organisation has found that the richest 0.1% of the world’s population are heavily invested in disaster preparedness, recovery and reconstruction – a market that is projected to grow from $70bn to $92bn a year by 2029.