Wealth and pollution inequalities of global trade: A network and input-output approach

•We distinguish between pollution produced within a country and pollution triggered along global supply chains by a country's consumption.•We explain pollution and wealth distributions via network characteristics.•Our findings show a positive, (log-) linear relationship between a country's network position and both ways of accounting for pollution.•Countries with higher numbers and volume of export ties increase their shares of global wealth faster than shares of pollution.

We examine distributions of pollution and wealth among countries over a 20 year period. We distinguish between pollution produced within a country and pollution triggered along global supply chains by a country's consumption. We explain pollution and wealth distributions via network characteristics. Our findings show a positive, (log-) linear relationship between a country's network position and both ways of accounting for pollution. In addition, core countries and/or ones with higher numbers and volume of export ties increase their shares of global wealth faster than shares of pollution.