According to Bloomberg, the world’s richest people significantly gained wealth during the pandemic. Having conducted an analysis based on the incomes of the rich, economists concluded that 2,755 billionaires control 3.5% of the world's wealth in 2021, which is 2% higher than before the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020. The combined fortune of the billionaires is $13.1 trillion. They accumulated $4.1 trillion during the pandemic. Another group of the rich includes 520,000 people who have at least $19 million each. These millionaires control 11% of the global wealth (their share was 10% last year). "The COVID crisis has exacerbated inequalities between the very wealthy and the rest of the population," report co-author Lucas Chancel said. The report reflects the world's most unequal regions. Latin America and the Middle East are topping the list with more than 75% of wealth in the hands of the top 10%. Russia and sub-Saharan Africa are lagging not far behind. Notably, the top 10% of the richest people in the US emit 73 tons of carbon dioxide on average per capita a year, while the poorest half of the population produce less than 10 tons.
