Gender empowerment and environmental impact: A quantile regression analysis in BRICS economies

Abstract

This study, with its significant findings, delves into the impact of women's status on environmental quality in BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) from 1960 to 2022. Using a novel method, the Method of Moments Quantile Regression, this study has been able to analyse the relationship. The results, which are of utmost importance, show that women's political empowerment and leadership positions (government chief executives) significantly reduce carbon emissions, while the impact of women's civil liberties along with population growth increases emissions across the analysed quantiles. Economic growth is insignificantly negatively associated with environmental quality. The paper's findings reveal a unidirectional causal relationship from women's political empowerment to emissions, carbon emissions to women's civil liberties and emissions to economic growth. Additionally, a bi-directional causality connection is evident between population growth and environmental quality. These insights, which are crucial for policymaking, suggest that promoting improved women's status is a crucial policy strategy for mitigating climate change in BRICS economies. Thus, this paper suggests that empowerment of women is an effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions. It emphasizes the need for climate policy to promote gender equality, prioritise women's leadership in the clean energy industry, and enhance their access to resources and opportunities.