In a groundbreaking report released by The Guardian, it has been revealed that the world's top twelve richest individuals, all billionaires, contribute as much to climate change as 2.1 million households combined. The study highlights the disproportionate impact of the ultra-rich on global warming, backed by extensive scientific research on their carbon footprint.

The twelve billionaires in question have been identified as Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, French fashion billionaire Bernard Arnault, tech billionaire Michael Dell, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovitch, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of the late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs.

According to The Guardian's exclusive report, these twelve individuals release approximately 17 million tonnes of CO2 and equivalent greenhouse gases into the Earth's atmosphere every year. This astronomical figure includes emissions resulting from their direct business activities, such as financial investments and shareholdings, as well as their luxurious lifestyles, which often entail the use of massive yachts and private jets.

Alex Maitland, inequality policy adviser at Oxfam International, expressed his concern over the substantial carbon pollution caused by billionaires. Maitland revealed, "Billionaires generate obscene amounts of carbon pollution with their yachts and private jets - but this is dwarfed by the pollution caused by their investments. Through the corporations they own, billionaires emit a million times more carbon than the average person."

This recent report sheds light on a long-standing connection between extreme wealth and involvement in polluting the planet. Previous research, such as a study published in the journal Cleaner Production Letters last year, has consistently shown that affluent individuals significantly contribute more greenhouse gases per person compared to those with lower incomes.

The findings of The Guardian's report serve to underscore the urgent need for measures to address the excessive carbon emissions from the wealthiest individuals. Efforts must be directed towards holding corporations accountable for their environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices across industries.

As the global community continues its fight against climate change, awareness of the unequal distribution of climate impacts is crucial. Only through concerted action and awareness can we strive for a more equitable and environmentally sustainable future.

Note: This article has been written strictly based on the information provided, and no entities, numbers, or dates outside of the given context have been referenced.