consumption rate

One of the two elements of human environmental impact. The world’s richest people (500M, or 7% of the total) are responsible for half the world’s carbon emissions, while the poorer half of the population (3.5bn) are responsible for 7% of the emissions. Nearly all the extra people expected in the world by 2050 (about 2bn) will be born in poor countries, increasing their share of emissions from 7% to 11% of the total. Thus, the consumption rate of the rich few (and their population numbers) will have the greater effect.

This definition is abridged from A – Z of tree terms: A companion to British arboriculture.
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