A comprehensive new paper published in Norma: International Journal for Masculinity Studies has drawn a direct line between certain masculine behaviours and disproportionate environmental damage, with particular relevance for Europe's affluent, white male populations. The study, titled 'Men, masculinities and the planet at the end of (M)Anthropocene', synthesises findings from over 20 researchers across 13 countries, examining everything from climate denial in Canadian pipeline politics to pro-meat influencers in Finland.
Gender gap in emissions
The paper confirms that men consistently exhibit higher carbon footprints, especially through travel, transportation, tourism, and meat consumption. A 2025 study of 15,000 people in France found that men emit 26 per cent more pollution than women from transport and food alone. This pattern is not limited to France; similar disparities appear across the EU, where car-centric commuting and long-haul flights remain male-dominated activities.
Researchers also note that men tend to show "less concern with climate change" and are "less ambitious and less active in environmental politics". A 2024 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology linked this to 'masculinity stress'—the fear of appearing feminine—which correlates with lower climate worry and active avoidance of eco-friendly products.
Industrial and political dimensions
Beyond personal habits, the paper highlights men's disproportionate ownership and management of high-impact industries: heavy chemicals, carbon-based agriculture, extractive sectors, and militarism. These sectors are central to Europe's industrial landscape, from the Ruhr Valley to Rotterdam's port. The authors argue that this structural role amplifies the environmental footprint of elite, white Eurowestern men, contrasting sharply with lower-income men in the global south.
Professor Jeff Hearn, the paper's editor and a sociologist at the University of Huddersfield, stated: "There is now plenty of research that shows clear negative impacts of some men’s behaviour on the environment and climate. What is astonishing is how this aspect does not figure in most debates and policy in a more sustainable world."
The paper does acknowledge that some men are working "urgently and energetically" to change these tendencies, pointing to activist networks in Africa, Latin America, the UK, and globally. However, the overall message is clear: addressing the climate crisis requires confronting deeply embedded gender norms.
For European policymakers, the findings underscore the need to target high-emitting demographics in sectors like transport and agriculture. The EU's push for tough shipping emissions rules at IMO talks in London, for instance, could be complemented by measures that address the gender gap in consumption patterns. Similarly, initiatives like La Gomera's GR132 circular trail, which promotes low-impact tourism, offer models for shifting male travel habits.
The study also resonates with broader debates about algorithmic transparency, as seen in the New Mexico Meta trial, which echoes EU concerns about how online platforms may reinforce gender stereotypes. Meanwhile, the tragic deaths of four migrants near the Croatia-Slovenia border highlight the human cost of environmental and economic inequalities that the paper links to masculine-dominated industries.
As Europe edges closer to irreversible climate damage, the paper calls for a rethinking of masculinity itself—not as a fixed trait, but as a set of behaviours that can be changed. The question is whether political and cultural leaders are ready to have that conversation.
