Men cause more climate emissions than women, study finds
Both spend similar amounts of money but men use cars much more, Swedish analysis shows.
Men’s spending on goods causes 16% more climate-heating emissions than women’s, despite the sum of money being very similar, a study has found.
The biggest difference was men’s spending on petrol and diesel for their cars. The gender differences in emissions have been little studied, the researchers said, and should be recognised in action to beat the climate crisis.
The analysis compared single men and women in Sweden and found that food and holidays caused more than half of all emissions for both men and women. The scientists found that swapping meat and dairy for plant-based foods and switching to train-based holidays, rather than using planes or cars, cut people’s emissions by 40%.
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Atlantis Viewpoint
Men contribute more to climate change than women, but is this the debate?
A recent study compared single men and women in Sweden to find out which sample of the population generates the most emissions. The researchers found that food and holidays caused more than half of all emissions for both men and women. Scientists also found that swapping meat and dairy for plant-based foods and switching to train-based holidays, rather than using planes or cars, cut people's emissions by 40%. However, on the global account, men’s spending on goods causes 16% more climate-heating emissions than women’s, despite both spend similar amounts of money. The biggest difference was men in the study used cars much more. Also, a study in 2017 found that the greatest impact individuals can have in fighting climate change is to have one fewer child, followed by not using a car and avoiding flying.
However, at Atlantis we feel these kind of studies are very distracting from the actual problem. It is not very productive to start blaming one half of the world population or certain consumer groups for climate change when it is the background production factors that represent the root of the problem. The fact is that Transport, electricity & energy power production, industrial and farming processes are what create the majority of our CO2 emissions and other harmful air pollutants.
Of course, we want to make use of our cars, heat our homes and enjoy varieties of food from around the world. However, we’re pretty sure - both men and women - wouldn’t mind if their heating was from green hydrogen, their cars all-electric, and the electricity to power these from solar, wind and other true clean energy sources…
If the options are there then everyone can buy their electricity from clean sources, use clean transport options and ensure their food and clothing are coming from sources that do not produce or climate change emissions or other harmful pollutants. Right now though these are very difficult to access, there is a lot of talk about eco friendly and ‘Net zero’ but we are very far from seriously reducing our global emissions in transport, industry, farming and electricity production.
So we need to start producing our energy supplies from True Clean Energy and then it will not matter where you buy your clothes, how far you drive your electric car or where you go on your holidays. Otherwise yes without this change we will just have to stop doing all those things we enjoy.
