GNV News January 9, 2026

According to the World Inequality Report 2026 released by the World Inequality Lab on December 10, 2025, it has become clear that wealth is becoming ever more concentrated. For example, while the richest top 10% of the world’s population hold 53% of all income (*1) and 75% of all wealth (*2), the bottom 50% share only 8% of income and 2% of wealth among them. The wealthy are increasing their wealth at a much faster pace than the poor, and wealth inequality is widening. While wealthy groups such as billionaires have increased their wealth by about 8% per year between 1995 and 2025, the growth rate for the bottom 50% is only about half of that. For those in the very poorest group, the rate of increase is a mere 2% per year.

The report also points to inequalities related to climate change, gender, and region. Regarding climate change, the poorest 50% of the world’s population account for only 3% of carbon emissions, while the richest 10% are responsible for 77% of emissions. Despite their low emissions, people in low‑income countries are the most vulnerable to damage caused by climate change. On gender inequality, the report notes that income inequality between men and women persists. When unpaid housework traditionally shouldered by women is included, women work longer hours than men; yet women’s income amounts to only 61% of men’s when excluding housework, and just 32% of men’s when including housework. Regional disparities are also serious. For instance, even after adjusting for price differences, the average income of people in the wealthiest regions—North America and Oceania—is about 13 times that of people in the poorest region, sub‑Saharan Africa. Since there is additional inequality within each region, people in sub‑Saharan Africa face both low regional income levels and high inequality within their region.

This widening inequality is leading to expanding gaps, weakened democracy, and “climate apartheid” (*3). However, the report argues that inequality can be reduced by choosing measures such as implementing fair tax systems, reforming the global financial system, increasing public investment in education and health, and ensuring appropriate redistribution.

*1 Income minus only pension contributions and unemployment insurance premiums.

*2 Total assets such as savings, investments, and real estate, minus debts.

*3 Climate apartheid refers to a situation in which the rich and the poor have different capacities to cope with problems caused by climate change, resulting in a kind of separation and, as a result, further widening inequality.

More news on widening inequality → “World: The Rapid Expansion of Extreme Inequality”

Learn more about global inequality → “Why Don’t the Media Report on the Rapidly Increasing Global Inequality?”

Learn more about the reality of regional inequality → “A Major Hidden Factor Blocking Escape from Poverty: Illicit Financial Flows”

Homes of poor residents and high‑rise buildings in Luanda, the capital of Angola (Photo: Fabian Plock / Shutterstock)