Does female labor share reduce embodied carbon in trade?

This study innovatively investigates the impact of female labor share on trade-related embodied carbon based on the idea of ecofeminism. Regression results show that an increase in the female labor share contributes to a reduction in emissions embodied in trade, and that this effect is more significant after the control variables, education level and female political participation, are included. More specifically, in developed countries, higher female labor force participation would reduce the embodied carbon related to imports and exports only in the service sector. However, in developing countries, increases in female labor force participation are conducive to reducing the embodied carbon of exports and imports in the service and industrial sectors, respectively. This study provides new evidence for policy makers to reduce trade-related emissions embodied in trade by encouraging female employment.