According to a new report published in Norma: International Journal for Masculinity Studies, men — particularly wealthy, White men — have a greater negative impact on the environment than women.
For their study, the authors examined existing research on climate change and its intersection with men’s habits and behaviors. In their review, the authors found that men often have a greater carbon footprint and and environmental impact, particularly regarding consumption such as travel, transportation, tourism, and meat eating. These habits lead to men emitting more greenhouse gases, on average, than women.
Furthermore, men tend to be less concerned with climate change and less willing to change their everyday practices to ameliorate climate change, with some men believing that exhibiting pro-environment behaviors makes them appear feminine. Additionally, men are more likely to own and lead businesses in high-impact industries, such as industrial agriculture, automobiles, water, and emerging AI technologies.
Importantly, the authors highlight that these behaviors are most prominent among wealthy, White, and Eurowestern men, rather than low-income men from the Global South.
“Changing ideals or discourses of masculinity towards valuing more sustainable ways of life is not enough,” the authors write. “While much research focuses on individual-level practices, macro-institutional change is needed for any hope to mitigate the climate crisis. Critical change of the ‘unsustainable institutions of men’ is essential, including actions and policies of governments, businesses, and transnational [organizations], and the place of men and masculinities there, as leaders, politicians, policy-makers, managers, workers, activists, consumers, amongst others.”