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Women have lifestyles that emit less greenhouse gases on average than men, but they are more victims of climate change, according to a note from an economist consulted by AFP on Tuesday.
“While it may seem at first glance that climate change (for which greenhouse gases are largely responsible, editor’s note) affects the entire population in the same way, studies highlight gender disparities in behaviors at origin of greenhouse gas emissions and the consequences of climate change“, according to a post by Oriane Wegner quoted by the daily Release and to be published in full on Wednesday on the Banque de France website.
A specialist in climate economics within this institution, Ms. Wegner relies on a Swedish study from 2021 to affirm that “men’s consumption items are the source of 16% more GHGs on average“than those of women.
The difference is explained by men’s propensity to consume more emitting goods and services, such as fuel.
“Men are more likely to travel to more distant holiday destinations and drive there“, indicates to AFP Oriane Wegner. In the same way, “airplane-related CO2 emissions are slightly higher for men than for women.”
Diet could also play a role, as “a less meaty diet generates a lower amount of emissions“. However, according to an Ifop survey of May 2021, in France, two thirds of vegetarians (67%) are women.
In 2021, single men emitted an average of ten tonnes of greenhouse gases, compared to just over 8 tonnes for single women, even though the expenses of the former are “barely 2%” higher than those of the seconds.
“On the women’s side, we observe expenditure linked to goods and services with a lower level of emissions, in particular care, health and, at the margin, furniture and clothing.“, details Oriane Wegner.
However, if gender is a “relevant” criterion to explain the disparities in terms of emissions, “income level often plays a more important role“, as well as the urban or rural place of residence, she warns.
Faced with the consequences of climate change, men and women are no longer equal.
According to UN research cited in the post, 80% of people forced from their homes by extreme weather events are women, and more women than men died in the aftermath of 2005 Hurricane Katrina in the United States. UNITED STATES.
“National public policies and international action frameworks could benefit from taking into account the interactions between gender and the environment to strengthen their effectiveness and their articulation with climate justice objectives.“, concludes the author, whose ticket does not engage the Banque de France.