Chair in Decarbonisation and Justice

Research on carbon inequalities notably shows that the richest 10% and 1% of the world’s population are responsible for 47% and 15% respectively of consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions (Chancel & Mohren, 2025), while in Belgium the richest 10% emit approximately four times more than the poorest 10% through their consumptions (Lévay et al., 2021).

Building on the recognition of a profound asymmetry between vulnerability and responsibility which characterizes climate injustice, the chair focuses on “polluter elites”. This concept stems from an observation widely documented in the literature:  the privileged populations contribute disproportionately to ecological degradation through their consumption, investments, and political influence. The chair examines which regulatory, fiscal, and normative measures can contribute to align urban polluter elites’ practices with the principles of sufficiency, and how these elites engage with, resist, or shape such norms.

By deliberately redirecting the analytical lens from vulnerability to responsibility, the chair addresses a persistent blind spot in academic research. It identifies and characterises environmentally impactful elites, drawing on and extending the work of scholars such as Max Koch and Lucas Chancel. This research spans key issues including elites’ acceptance and “sabotage” of sufficiency policies, redistribution (e.g.: philanthropy, impact-investing), and regulation of housing overconsumption.

 Through this work, the chair contributes to rethinking governance tools capable of delivering ecologically effective, socially just transitions.