The latest edition of the World Inequality Report 2026 has been released, reinforcing concerns that inequality is no longer a standalone social issue but a systemic challenge affecting multiple dimensions of sustainable development.
The report shows that wealth remains highly concentrated. The richest 10% of the global population now hold around 75% of total wealth, while the poorest half owns just 2%. Fewer than 60,000 multimillionaires control three times more assets than 4 billion people combined, with their share steadily increasing over the past three decades.
Inequality in access to opportunity is equally stark. Annual education spending per child in Sub-Saharan Africa stands at roughly €200 (PPP), compared to about €7,400 in Europe and €9,000 in North America and Oceania. This gap, exceeding a ratio of 1 to 40, is significantly wider than differences in GDP per capita.
The report also draws attention to environmental inequality. The wealthiest 10% are responsible for 77% of emissions linked to private capital and nearly half of consumption-based emissions. In contrast, the poorest half contributes only a small share, yet bears a disproportionate economic burden, accounting for roughly 75% of global income losses caused by climate change.
A growing territorial divide is another key finding. In many developed countries, disparities between major cities and smaller towns, in terms of income, infrastructure and access to services, have reached levels not seen in a century.
Taken together, the findings suggest that inequality is increasingly shaping outcomes across economic, environmental and social systems, raising questions about the pace and feasibility of achieving global sustainability goals.