A recent study conducted in France highlights a gender gap in carbon footprints. It reveals that women emit 26% less CO2 than men, mainly due to lower car use and lower consumption of red meat.

This preliminary study was carried out in France by two economics researchers: Ondine Berland at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Marion Leroutier at Crest-Ensae Paris. 

The research is based on survey data on the mobility and eating habits of over 15,000 people. It reveals that men's annual carbon footprint for food and transportation is 5.3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, compared to 3.9 tonnes for women. 

The gap remains significant, even when standard of living, distances travelled and volume of food consumed are taken into account.

"The data show that red meat consumption and car use – which are both high-emission goods often associated with male identity – account for most of the residual difference in carbon footprints once variations in food quantity, distances travelled and employment status are considered," explains an overview of this working paper. 

The survey also reveals that the gender gap in carbon footprints is as wide as that between low- and high-income individuals, underlining the importance of cultural and social (and not just economic) factors in CO2 emissions.

The researchers who worked on this study believe that these results highlight how men and women could be affected differently by the implementation of climate policies. They explain that it could be less challenging for women than men to adopt consumption patterns compatible with net-zero objectives. 

"Our results suggest that traditional gender norms, particularly those linking masculinity with red meat consumption and car use, play a significant role in shaping individual carbon footprints. 

"This points to the potential for information policies that challenge such norms, for example, by reframing plant-based alternatives as compatible with strength and performance," says Ondine Berland, quoted in a news release. 

The researchers point out, however, that further studies are needed to shed more light on their findings and hypotheses.

However, this is not the first time that the subject of gender differences in individual carbon footprints has been studied. 

A study carried out in the UK and published in the journal Plos One at the end of 2021 estimated that men pollute 41% more than their female counterparts, primarily due to their consumption of meat. 

Another study published the same year, this time conducted in Sweden, showed that men produce around 16% more greenhouse gas emissions than women – again, mainly due to their appetite for meat and greater consumption of fuel. – AFP