A multidisciplinary team of scientists argues that men are disproportionately harming planet Earth.
More than twenty researchers examined the environmental, social, economic, and political consequences of men’s activities in recent years.
Their work resulted in an article titled “Men, Masculinities, and the Planet at the End of the Anthropocene,” published in the International Journal for Masculinity Studies and available through the academic publisher Taylor & Francis.
The Anthropocene is an informal geological term for a new, current epoch in which human activity has become the dominant force changing Earth’s ecosystems, climate, and surface.
How are men harming the planet?
Experts say:
- Men generally leave a larger carbon footprint than women.
- They are less concerned about climate change.
- Men are less active in environmental politics.
- They are more likely to engage in activities that are harmful to the environment.
Professor of Sociology Jeff Gern from the University of Huddersfield (UK) said, “There is a lot of research that clearly shows the negative impact of some men’s behavior on the environment. It’s surprising that this factor doesn’t feature in most discussions and policy initiatives aimed at building a more sustainable world.”
What the team found
The study’s authors reached the following conclusions.
- Men leave a larger carbon footprint than women.
The team says men’s lifestyles are linked to heavier use of transportation and higher meat consumption.
- Men are less concerned about climate change.
The scientists, including researchers of both sexes, emphasized that men are not only less worried about climate change than women, but they also make fewer efforts to influence climate outcomes.
- Men are less active in environmental politics.
The study finds that men are less likely to support political movements or parties that address environmental problems.
- Men are more often engaged in activities that are harmful to the environment.
The experts say typical male-dominated jobs are linked to harm to health, the environment, and the climate. Men are concentrated in industries that account for a large share of global emissions, such as heavy industry and the agricultural sector.
While the researchers did not name specific individuals who have harmed the planet, they said these harmful behavior patterns are “especially common among men from elite classes in countries of the Global North.” That refers to economically developed nations mostly in the Northern Hemisphere (Western Europe, the United States, Canada), some Asian countries (Japan, South Korea), and parts of Oceania (Australia, New Zealand).
The team clarified that not all men harm the planet. Many men contribute to the fight against climate change, the scientists wrote.
