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Female parliamentarians and environmental performance: the role of the income threshold

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Abstract

This paper investigates whether the effect of female parliamentarians on environmental performance differs by the level of income. To that end, a threshold estimation approach is applied to a panel of 91 countries over the period 2002–2012. The results suggest the existence of income threshold effects in female parliamentarians-environmental performance nexus. Specifically, when it is above the income threshold value, the extent of this positive correlation is much greater than below it. It means that theoretically although the female parliamentarians have a higher awareness of environmental protection and a positive effect on environmental performance than men, the economic development of countries will affect the implementation of this effect. Countries tend to prioritize economic development when income levels are low, only in high-income countries will the proportion of female parliaments significantly improve the country’s environmental performance. These results provide some important implications for policymakers when considering the relationship between female parliamentarians and environmental performance.

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Notes

  1. This index is developed by Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (YCELP) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

  2. Average per capita GDP of 2002–2012 varies from as low as $373.58 (Mozambique) to as high as $103,289.9 (Luxembourg).

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Funding

This research is partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71703140), and also supported by Huxiang Young talents of Hunan Province of China (2019).

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  1. School of Business, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China

    Zhike Lv, Zhenya Gao & Ting Xu

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  1. Zhike Lv
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  2. Zhenya Gao
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  3. Ting Xu
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Correspondence to Ting Xu.

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Lv, Z., Gao, Z. & Xu, T. Female parliamentarians and environmental performance: the role of the income threshold. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 21273–21280 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08639-x

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