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Gabriel Zucman presents his modest proposal for taxing the world’s billionaires at provocative WIDER Annual Lecture 28 garnering attention in Finland

On 4 September, renowned economist Gabriel Zucman addressed the lagging progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030, emphasizing the critical role of tax reforms. Speaking at the 28th WIDER Annual Lecture held in Helsinki, Finland, and streamed online through UNTV, Zucman highlighted how the current tax systems widen the gap between the ultra-wealthy and the less affluent, perpetuating inequality globally. The lecture generated interest in Finnish media, with exclusive interviews in YLE, Helsingin Sanomat, and Maailma.net.

Zucman proposed his bold solution—a minimum wealth tax of 2% targeting the globe's billionaires. This new tax regime aims to mobilize an additional $250 billion by taxing just 3,000 of the world’s billionaires, underscoring the stark concentration of wealth and the need for a fairer and more effective redistribution.

The event, held annually by UNU-WIDER, serves as a platform for discussing pivotal global issues. This year's lecture is part of UNU-WIDER's programme on Domestic Revenue Mobilization (DRM), which is supported by the Norwegian development co-operation agency Norad.

For more details on the lecture and to view related resources, including a brief based on the lecture, visit UNU-WIDER's event page.