Full Breakdown
Global Leaders Urged to Join New International Panel on Inequality
By Drooid · · How we work
The Initiative and Its Launch
More than 1,500 academics and economists from over 100 countries have signed an open letter urging governments to join the International Panel on Inequality (IPI). The letter was released ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the panel will be formally introduced. The IPI is intended to mirror the International Panel on Climate Change, producing regular scientific assessments and policy recommendations on extreme income and wealth gaps. It is being set up with the backing of Spain, South Africa, Brazil and Norway and is championed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz will chair the panel.
Who Is Behind the Call
High-profile signatories include former U.S. Treasury secretary Janet Yellen, Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, economists Thomas Piketty, Mariana Mazzucato and Jayati Ghosh (University of Massachusetts Amherst). Former German chancellor Olaf Scholz, former Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark also endorsed the IPI in separate statements. In the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband signaled willingness to cooperate on shared international challenges, while the government has not yet confirmed formal participation. Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is noted as reluctant to join similar multilateral initiatives.
Data and Scope of Support
- 1,500+ academics and economists have signed the letter.
- Signatories represent 100+ countries.
- The panel aims to bring together leading experts, partner governments and multilateral institutions for ongoing reporting on inequality.
Official Reactions
The World Bank warned that, “barring a miracle,” the 2020s could become a “lost decade” for many developing nations, underscoring the urgency of coordinated action. Ed Miliband indicated a readiness to work with other nations on the IPI, though the UK government has not yet committed. By contrast, analysts note the United States under Donald Trump has shown reluctance to engage in such global panels.
Verbatim Quote
“It is news to no one that the gap between the richest and the poorest in most countries is large and growing. The interrelated impacts of the inequality crisis are affecting the lives of many, with significant political, economic, social and environmental consequences playing out across the globe,” — Joseph Stiglitz, the nobel-winning economist