Fourth industrial revolution in South Africa: inequality stands in the way of true progress: Low-income South Africans in rural areas feel left out of the technological advancements linked to the fourth industrial revolution. Lucian Coman/Shutterstock In his 2019 State of the Nation address, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he was creating a commission …
I research race in politics – Kemi Badenoch’s views on inequality should worry Black Britons: House of Commons/Flickr, CC BY-NC Kemi Badenoch has become the first Black leader of a UK-wide political party. But her ascent is unlikely to translate into meaningful gains for Black Britons. Badenoch’s record suggests she is uninterested in tackling the …
How a programme giving millions to residents to improve their neighbourhoods also risks entrenching inequality: Over the past quarter century, the idea has taken hold among politicians across the spectrum that one of the best ways to address inequality is to give local communities the resources to do the work themselves. Provide them with funding …
Emissions inequality is getting worse – here’s how to end the reign of the ultra-polluters: Scharfsinn/Shutterstock Climate change is overwhelmingly a problem of wealthy people. The wealthiest 1% of humanity produce over 1,000 times the emissions of the poorest 1%. In fact, these 77 million people are responsible for more climate-changing emissions than the poorest …
The climate crisis is making gender inequality in developing coastal communities worse: Across the world, women and men experience the impacts of the climate crisis in different ways. These are shaped by societal roles and responsibilities and result in widening inequalities between men and women. Sea-level rise, storm surges and high waves in coastal area …
Inequality: troubling trends and why economic growth in Africa is key to reducing global disparities: Inequality remains on the top of the policy priority list for most countries in the world. Branko Milanovic, a leading scholar on inequality, recently delivered a lecture titled “Recent changes in the global income distribution and their political implications” at …
The dawn of domestic robots could dramatically cut gender inequality when it comes to household work: Robot vacuum cleaners are already a feature in some homes. Daniel Krason / Shutterstock Domestic work is vital for society to function. Meals need to be cooked, clothes and homes cleaned, and people need to be cared for. These …
South Africa can’t crack the inequality curse. Why, and what can be done: South Africa is ranked one of the most unequal societies in the world. The Conversation Africa spoke to Imraan Valodia, a professor of economics and dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, about inequality …
Poverty in Britain is firmly linked to the country’s mountain of private wealth – Labour must address this growing inequality: Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said that a Labour government would not raises taxes on wealth, capital gains or higher incomes. She does not, she says, see “the way to prosperity as being through …
London is a major reason for the UK’s inequality problem. Unfortunately, City leaders don’t want to talk about it: City leaders often appear reluctant to discuss London't role in growing levels of regional inequality. I.R.Stone/Shutterstock In recent years, there has been growing evidence that the UK economy is in poor shape. While the latest economic …
How gender inequality is hindering Japan’s economic growth: Siriwat Sriphojaroen/Shutterstock Japan’s economy is under pressure from rising energy prices and defence costs and the impact of the pandemic. Plummeting birth rates and an ageing population further threaten the sustainability of its labour market. A 2023 study by independent thinktank the Recruit Works Institute points to …
How holidaying in developing countries affects local inequality: A few years ago, one of us (Alex) went for a vacation to the Dominican Republic. The motivation was similar to millions of other tourists every year: escape the daily routine, enjoy the sun and beaches, and gather some strength to face another cold winter. Unfortunately, a …
How inequality shapes your experience of a heatwave: People who work outdoors are at particular risk during heat waves. ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock When the mercury rises, does your anxiety rise with it? If so, you are not alone. According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, three-quarters of British people are worried about climate change and 43% …
How online grocery shopping is making Britain’s urban-rural inequality worse: Jan Kopriva/Unsplash Before the pandemic, online grocery shopping was typically something younger and more affluent people living in cities indulged in. When COVID hit, though, the market exploded. In the first week of the first UK lockdown, demand for Ocado home deliveries was reportedly ten …
Deadly heatwaves threaten to reverse India’s progress on poverty and inequality – new research: PradeepGaurs/Shutterstock Record-breaking heatwaves in April 2022 put 90% of people in India at increased risk of going hungry, losing income or premature death, according to our new study. After 2022 was designated the hottest in 122 years, extreme heat has appeared …
How racism and inequality affect even ‘desirable’ EU migrants in the UK: shutterstock Everyone knows Italy, as soon as you come here they’ll be like, “Oh Italian, cool! I’ve been there,” so it’s a way of chatting, breaking ice […] but I don‘t know if it’s the same for other foreigners. Like my friend from …
Green energy: South Africa’s transition plan must be careful not to deepen inequality – the 3 top issues: Jon Callas/Flickr Since the UN Climate Change Agreement was signed by 196 nations in December 2015, many countries have announced policies to reduce their fossil fuel emissions. Their commitments are set out in nationally determined actions they’ll …
Global inequality must fall to maintain a safe climate and achieve a decent standard of living for all – it’s a huge challenge: Energy consumption is essential for human wellbeing, but there is enormous inequality in energy use worldwide. The top 10% of global energy consumers use roughly 30 times more energy than the bottom …