Do female policymakers encourage the production of renewable energy compared to their male counterparts? Using instrumental variables, we conduct a cross-country analysis of 39 high-income
countries for the years 1997–2020 using quota laws and women’s suffrage as instruments for
women’s participation in the parliament. The authors find that a 1 percentage point increase in the
proportion of women in the legislature increases renewable energy production by 1.54 percentage
points. This study suggests that fostering policies that boost women’s participation in
policy-making positions is beneficial, especially when considering the positive spillover to other
countries.
Authors: Mriga Bansal and Natalia D’Agosti
Source: Environmental Research Climate
