Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption

Abstract Carbon emissions are a primary driver of climate change and global warming, largely resulting from anthropogenic activities. Household consumption significantly contributes to global emissions, both directly and indirectly. Given that women often make the majority of household purchasing de...

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Main Authors: Kumar Debasis Dutta, Mallika Saha, Nusrat Jahan Mukta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-08-01
Series:Discover Environment
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-025-00319-2
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author Kumar Debasis Dutta
Mallika Saha
Nusrat Jahan Mukta
author_facet Kumar Debasis Dutta
Mallika Saha
Nusrat Jahan Mukta
author_sort Kumar Debasis Dutta
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Carbon emissions are a primary driver of climate change and global warming, largely resulting from anthropogenic activities. Household consumption significantly contributes to global emissions, both directly and indirectly. Given that women often make the majority of household purchasing decisions, female education has been linked to sustainable behaviors that help mitigate environmental impact. However, the intricate relationship between female education, household consumption, and emissions remains underexplored. This study seeks to address this critical gap by examining how female education influences household consumption patterns and their subsequent effects on emissions. To achieve this objective, the analysis employs a two-step System-GMM methodology, utilizing an unbalanced panel dataset of 138 countries spanning the period from 1991 to 2020. The findings reveal that household consumption is a significant driver of carbon emissions, while both female and overall educational attainment have a substantial negative impact on emissions. Additionally, the interaction analysis highlights the crucial role of female education in moderating the relationship between household consumption and emissions. These results underscore the importance of implementing gender-inclusive educational policies to promote sustainable consumption practices. By uniquely linking female education to environmental sustainability, this study demonstrates that improving female education can transform consumption behaviors, offering a strategic pathway for achieving sustainability objectives through environmentally conscious decision-making. By addressing the dual challenges of gender equality and climate change, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers, presenting a critical opportunity to reduce emissions while advancing sustainable development goals.
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spelling doaj-art-aca565e45da0494d81439c6fba46effb2025-08-24T11:16:28ZengSpringerDiscover Environment2731-94312025-08-013112210.1007/s44274-025-00319-2Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumptionKumar Debasis Dutta0Mallika Saha1Nusrat Jahan Mukta2Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, São Paulo State University (UNESP)Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, São Paulo State University (UNESP)Department of Finance and Banking, Patuakhali Science and Technology UniversityAbstract Carbon emissions are a primary driver of climate change and global warming, largely resulting from anthropogenic activities. Household consumption significantly contributes to global emissions, both directly and indirectly. Given that women often make the majority of household purchasing decisions, female education has been linked to sustainable behaviors that help mitigate environmental impact. However, the intricate relationship between female education, household consumption, and emissions remains underexplored. This study seeks to address this critical gap by examining how female education influences household consumption patterns and their subsequent effects on emissions. To achieve this objective, the analysis employs a two-step System-GMM methodology, utilizing an unbalanced panel dataset of 138 countries spanning the period from 1991 to 2020. The findings reveal that household consumption is a significant driver of carbon emissions, while both female and overall educational attainment have a substantial negative impact on emissions. Additionally, the interaction analysis highlights the crucial role of female education in moderating the relationship between household consumption and emissions. These results underscore the importance of implementing gender-inclusive educational policies to promote sustainable consumption practices. By uniquely linking female education to environmental sustainability, this study demonstrates that improving female education can transform consumption behaviors, offering a strategic pathway for achieving sustainability objectives through environmentally conscious decision-making. By addressing the dual challenges of gender equality and climate change, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers, presenting a critical opportunity to reduce emissions while advancing sustainable development goals.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-025-00319-2Household consumptionFemale educationCarbon emissionsEnvironmental sustainabilitySystem generalized method of moments
spellingShingle Kumar Debasis Dutta
Mallika Saha
Nusrat Jahan Mukta
Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
Discover Environment
Household consumption
Female education
Carbon emissions
Environmental sustainability
System generalized method of moments
title Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
title_full Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
title_fullStr Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
title_full_unstemmed Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
title_short Female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
title_sort female education as a catalyst for low carbon household consumption
topic Household consumption
Female education
Carbon emissions
Environmental sustainability
System generalized method of moments
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-025-00319-2
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