Abstract
This study seeks answers to whether certain gender groups are overexposed to land surface temperature (LST) and whether or not the levels of such overexposure differ across socioeconomic groups and locations? The results of a geographically weighted regression model on 2400 Dutch residential zones show that LST is feminized. Gender composition alone explains about 10% of LST variations, regardless of other socioeconomic characteristics. For a 1% increase in women's population in a residential zone, LST increases by more than 0.1 °C. When socioeconomic characteristics are considered, the model explains more than 75% of variations. It shows that women living in low-value and relatively-old buildings are more exposed than men in 51% and 41% of the zones. Older-than-65-years and high-income women are more exposed than men in 24% and 22% of zones. Feminization of LST has a spatial pattern, too. It is more likely to occur in a moderate climate than in areas with extreme cold or warm climates. This study discusses the results and offers a series of possible explanations: Women's overrepresentation in urbanised areas, gender imbalance in economic sectors, suburbanisation of poverty, unequal access to green, different life expectancy among gender groups, and high variation of LST in moderate climates.
Highlights
This study aims to bridge the knowledge gaps in the previous studies on environmental justice and gender inequality, posing three research questions: a) Is a certain gender group over- or underexposed to land surface temperature (LST) in the Netherlands? b) Does such an overexposure follow a specific spatial pattern? c) Does gender-based overexposure vary across socioeconomic groups -i.e. age, ethnicity, income, and housing tenure groups?
The result shows that there is a significant association between the gender composition of residential zones and LST (F(1, 2616) = 278.3, p-value < 0.001)
A woman is more likely to experience overexposure in a moderate climate than an extremely warm or cold climate. These results could be discussed from three points of view: overall overrepresentation of women in urbanised areas; societal issues affecting the spatial distribution of socio economic groups; the more significant impact of LST in a moderate climate
Summary
Summer heatwaves are becoming more severe and frequent around the globe and in Europe. “The 2003 summer European heatwave alone caused up to 70,000 excess deaths over 4 months in central and western Europe” (Climate Adapt, 2021). The abundance of climate hazards and heatwaves raised awareness of climate and environmental justice. “[t]he concept that climate change is not caused by all population groups and that its impacts affect different population groups differently” (UN Habitat, 2018, pp.). European Environ mental Agency calls for devoting to equality and justice of exposure to climate hazard the attention it deserves (European Environment Agency, 2018).
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