The researchers found that slightly reducing demand for the "luxury" 20 % of Europe's most energy-intensive consumers would save seven times the amount of planet-warming gases that would be emitted by meeting the basic needs of the 20 % consumers who use the least energy. A study that modeled the effect of narrowing the gap in energy use between households in 27 European countries found that curbing demand from the top fifth, even at a relatively high level, reduced greenhouse gas pollution from energy use by 9.7 % while increasing demand. from people in the bottom fifth, who also live in poverty, to a relatively low level, it increases emissions by only 1.4 %. (Ajit Niranjan, the Guardian)