Impact of Gender Inequality on Environmental Performance: Role of Economic, Social, Technological Political and Energy Factors

ABSTRACT We empirically examined the impact of gender inequality on environmental performance using data for 153 countries from 2000 to 2023 via system generalized method of moments estimation. The results supported that gender inequality usually associates with lower environmental performance, which is reliable while we conducted regression by changing estimations and measurements of environmental performance and gender inequality. Meanwhile, gender inequality exerts a stronger negative impact on ecosystem vitality rather than environmental health. In addition, this negative impact is weakened by economic performance, globalization, aging populations, OECD countries, left‐wing political ideology, polyarchy countries, and government integrity, while it is strengthened by overall technological innovation, ICT and AI technologies, and emerging markets. Moreover, extreme weather events would strengthen the negative association between gender inequality and environmental performance. Finally, gender inequality would bring about worse environmental performance by inhibiting renewable energy consumption and energy innovation, as well as reducing technological innovation regarding climate change and environmental protection.