Anna-Lisa Linden
Professor emerita
Gender Differences in Environmental Impacts from Patterns of Transportation. A case study from Sweden
Author
Summary, in English
Addressing unsustainable consumption patterns is an important target for fulfilling the goals set in, among others, Agenda 21 and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Gender differences in consumption patterns and their environmental impact have so far been poorly investigated.
Gender differences in travelling patterns in Sweden are explored using data from the National Travel Survey. Such differences are shown to be large, both in terms of distances travelled, modes of transport, energy consumption and in terms of emissions of CO2. The average CO2 emissions from mens´ mode of transportation was 53 % higher during 1996 compared to the CO2 emissions from womens' mode of transportation during the same year. This is due to the fact that men travel longer, but also because men travel with more energy demanding vehicles than women. It is argued that those differences cannot be explained by differences in employment rate, but possibly by differences in sectors of employment, holder of a driving license, income and car ownership. Gender differences in social and cultural aspects affecting environmental impacts from consumption patterns and lifestyles should not be ignored in further work for a sustainable society.
Gender differences in travelling patterns in Sweden are explored using data from the National Travel Survey. Such differences are shown to be large, both in terms of distances travelled, modes of transport, energy consumption and in terms of emissions of CO2. The average CO2 emissions from mens´ mode of transportation was 53 % higher during 1996 compared to the CO2 emissions from womens' mode of transportation during the same year. This is due to the fact that men travel longer, but also because men travel with more energy demanding vehicles than women. It is argued that those differences cannot be explained by differences in employment rate, but possibly by differences in sectors of employment, holder of a driving license, income and car ownership. Gender differences in social and cultural aspects affecting environmental impacts from consumption patterns and lifestyles should not be ignored in further work for a sustainable society.
Publishing year
1999
Language
English
Pages
355-369
Publication/Series
Society & Natural Resources
Volume
12
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Topic
- Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Keywords
- sociologi
- sociology
- travel
- transportation
- environmental impacts
- gender
Status
Published
Project
- Ways Ahead - environment, individuals and social structures
Research group
- Ways Ahead/Utvägar
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0894-1920