Gender inequality in political representation and its role in advancing clean energy access: Insights from the European Union

This study examines the influence of gender inequality in political representation on household access to clean energy across 27 European Union (EU) member states from 2013 to 2023. Employing a suite of panel data econometric methods, such as: Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) with robust standard errors, Pooled OLS with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), and Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE)—the analysis assesses how women's participation in political institutions (ministerial positions, national parliaments, and regional assemblies) affects the share of households using clean energy, used as a proxy for access to clean fuels and technologies. Results reveal that increased female representation in national parliaments and regional assemblies significantly enhances access to clean energy, particularly in high-income EU countries, suggesting that economic development amplifies this relationship. In contrast, female representation in ministerial roles shows a negative association, potentially reflecting institutional or portfolio-based constraints. Additionally, higher levels of women’s tertiary education and increased poverty rates are linked to reduced clean energy access, underscoring persistent structural barriers. Male political representation exerts mixed effects, with positive impacts in ministerial roles but negative associations in parliamentary and regional contexts. This analysis, which controls for potential biases from cross-sectional dependence and heteroskedasticity and finds no statistical evidence of endogeneity, identifies a significant association between gender-balanced political representation and household clean energy consumption. The study contributes to the policy discourse on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). It recommends targeted reforms such as implementing gender quotas and addressing broader socioeconomic disparities to foster inclusive and sustainable energy transitions.