Mark Ruffalo among elites calling on governments to tax the ultra-rich

The Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo and heiress Abigail Disney are calling on world leaders and industry experts to urgently introduce wealth taxes.

In a letter published on Wednesday entitled "the cost of extreme wealth", more than 200 members of the ultra-rich called on political leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to tackle rising poverty and inequality.

"The history of the last five decades is a story of wealth flowing nowhere but upwards. In the last few years, this trend has greatly accelerated", the letter said.

"The solution is plain for all to see. You, our global representatives, have to tax us, the ultra-rich, and you have to start now.

"The current lack of action is gravely concerning. A meeting of the ‘global elite’ in Davos to discuss “Cooperation in a Fragmented World” is pointless if you aren’t challenging the root cause of division" the letter added.

This comes as the charity Oxfam International found in a recent study that the richest 1% are increasing their wealth at double the speed of the rest of humanity.

The charity said that for the first time in a quarter of a century, extreme poverty growth has been accompanied by increases in extreme wealth.

What to expect from the third day of the International Economic Forum in Davos:

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, will give a special address at 11.15 CET  

Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, is also due to sit down and have a conversation with host Mirek Dušek, the Managing Director, of the World Economic Forum in Geneva at 13.45 CET

Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany, will give a special address at 15.45 CET

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, will give a special address at 17.00 CET

António