Soc. Sci. Res. http://doi.org/hsx (2012)

Empirical evidence has shown that women support environmental protection more than men, and that women's status is connected to nature exploitation. However, the social forces affecting carbon dioxide emissions have rarely been analysed in light of gender inequality.

Christina Ergas and Richard York of the University of Oregon, USA, used 2003 and 2004 cross-national data to analyse the relationship between women's political status — measured by the length of time women have had the right to vote and women's representation in parliament and ministerial government — and carbon dioxide emissions per capita. In their analysis, they include socio-economic development in terms of per capita gross domestic product, urbanization, industrialization and the age structure of the population. The researchers also include measures of militarization, world-system position, foreign direct investment and level of democracy.

They found that, even when controlling broadly for modernization, per capita carbon dioxide emissions are lower in nations where women have higher political status.