Wednesday newspaper round-up: Super-rich taxes, fossil fuel companies, farmers

21st Jan 2026 07:20

(Sharecast News) - Nearly 400 millionaires and billionaires from 24 countries are calling on global leaders to increase taxes on the super-rich, amid growing concern that the wealthiest in society are buying political influence. An open letter, released to coincide with the World Economic Forum in Davos, calls on global leaders attending this week's conference to close the widening gap between the super-rich and everyone else. - Guardian

Just 32 fossil fuel companies were responsible for half the global carbon dioxide emissions driving the climate crisis in 2024, down from 36 a year earlier, a report has revealed. Saudi Aramco was the biggest state-controlled polluter and ExxonMobil was the largest investor-owned polluter. Critics accused the leading fossil fuel companies of "sabotaging climate action" and "being on the wrong side of history" but said the emissions data was increasingly being used to ho ld the companies accountable. - Guardian

Labour is plotting to make farmers apply for costly licences to keep cattle in an attempt to cut down the amount of cow dung polluting Britain's waterways. The proposals, contained in government plans to reform the water industry, would expand a system of environmental permits used for pig and poultry farms to cattle farmers to police how they manage waste from their herds. Under the plan, beef farmers would have to pay thousands of pounds for a licence every year and receive a visit from a government inspector to identify pollution risks from their herds and slurry storage. - Telegraph

The proposed takeover of The Telegraph by the owner of the Daily Mail is to be investigated over its impact on competition and the public interest. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said she was minded to refer Lord Rothermere's £500m deal to regulators at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Ofcom. - Telegraph

The government risks "putting deregulation ahead of accountability", the chairman of the Commons business and trade committee has warned as the decision to scrap the long-awaited audit reform bill triggered widespread criticism. Liam Byrne, the Labour MP and former minister, said that after the collapse of BHS and Carillion audit reform had been promised to protect workers, pensioners and suppliers but the government had now decided "costs to business matter more". - The Times