Ingo Ritz, Director of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), along with 500 economists and inequality experts from across the world, endorsed a global call urging world leaders to establish a permanent International Panel on Inequality. The signatories, which include leading economists, political scientists, climate scientists, sociologists, epidemiologists, anthropologists, historians, geographers and philosophers, warn that the world is facing an escalating inequality emergency that demands immediate, coordinated global action.

The appeal supports the recommendation of the Extraordinary Committee on Inequality, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz, whose report to the G20 highlights how extreme wealth concentration is destabilising societies, undermining democracies and accelerating the climate crisis.

Read the sign-on letter here.

A global inequality emergency

The economists express “profound concern” that today’s extreme inequality translates into undemocratic concentrations of power, eroding public trust and fuelling political polarisation. They emphasise that inequality is not only an economic issue, but a structural force threatening social cohesion and planetary survival.

They further highlight that economic inequality intensifies the climate crisis, driving rapid environmental degradation and placing disproportionate burdens on the poorest and most vulnerable communities.

A call for a global, independent panel

The proposed International Panel on Inequality, inspired by the IPCC model, would provide:

1. Neutral, science-based assessments on the scale, drivers and impacts of global inequality
2. Objective policy guidance for world leaders, including at the G20 and the United Nations
3. Regular global and national-level reports to inform decision-making
4. A central, authoritative platform drawing on the work of economists, scientists and social researchers across disciplines

According to the statement, such a panel would also benefit the private sector, journalists, academia and civil society, offering a robust evidence base for public debate and policymaking.

The signatories affirm that experts worldwide are ready to contribute voluntarily, mirroring the collaborative spirit that sustains the IPCC, to ensure the success of this urgent global initiative.

“Inequality is not inevitable; It is a policy choice”

The letter underscores that governments have clear, proven policy tools to reverse inequality and build more just, inclusive societies. Establishing an International Panel on Inequality, they argue, is a crucial first step toward achieving that vision.

The economists urge world leaders to act decisively:

“We urge you to support the establishment of the International Panel on Inequality as a vital first step in building a more equal and inclusive world.”