Gender politics, environmental behaviours, and local territories: Evidence from Italian municipalities

TL;DR

This study examines how female politicians influence environmental behaviors in Italian municipalities, revealing positive effects that vary by region and diminish over time, highlighting the importance of cultural change.

Contribution

It provides causal evidence on the impact of female-majority councils on pro-environmental behaviors using a staggered difference-in-differences approach.

Findings

Female politicians positively influence waste collection behaviors.

Impact is stronger in regions with lower social capital.

Effects fade after 5-6 years, indicating the need for cultural interventions.

Abstract

We investigated the impact of female politicians on waste collection in Italian municipalities in different territories observed over the years 2010-2019. We used a staggered difference-in-differences design to obtain a causal interpretation of the estimated effects. We find that the majority of women in the municipal council positively influence pro-environmental individual behaviour. The impact of a female-majority council is heterogeneous by region and more pronounced in areas with lower social capital. Female politicians as catalysts for positive change fade after 5-6 years, likely due to persistent social norms locally, thus stressing the need for additional cultural actions with long-lasting effects.