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Journals / KADEM Kadın Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 12 Sayı: 1

Renewable Energy Consumption and Gendered Unemployment in Europe: Dynamic Panel Evidence (2000–2022)

Avrupa’da Yenilenebilir Enerji Tüketimi ve Cinsiyete Dayalı İşsizlik: Dinamik Panel Verileri (2000–2022)

Aslı Özpolat(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, OĞUZELİ VOCATIONAL SCHOOL)0000-0002-1769-3654
Ferda Nakıpoğlu Özsoy(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES)0000-0002-5593-413X
Burak Büyükoğlu(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, NİZİP VOCATIONAL SCHOOL)0000-0002-1174-3112
Pages
175–200
Publication Date
2026-06-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Overall, the findings suggest that expanding the renewable share alone may be insufficient to generate broad-based employment gains unless supported by complementary labor-market, industrial, and skills policies, particularly from a gender-sensitive perspective.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:This study examines whether the pace of the energy transition, proxied by the share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption, is associated with male and female unemployment rates.
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Key Findings & Data:Using annual data for 35 European countries over the period 2000–2022, the study estimates dynamic panel models through the System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM), which accounts for unemployment persistence and potential endogeneity among the explanatory variables.
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Conclusion & Impact:Overall, the findings suggest that expanding the renewable share alone may be insufficient to generate broad-based employment gains unless supported by complementary labor-market, industrial, and skills policies, particularly from a gender-sensitive perspective.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:2000–2022 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi · İşsizlik · Toplumsal cinsiyet adaleti

Abstract

This study examines whether the pace of the energy transition, proxied by the share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption, is associated with male and female unemployment rates. Using annual data for 35 European countries over the period 2000–2022, the study estimates dynamic panel models through the System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM), which accounts for unemployment persistence and potential endogeneity among the explanatory variables. The empirical findings show that renewable energy consumption does not have a statistically significant effect on either male or female unemployment. By contrast, income growth and capital accumulation are found to be associated with lower unemployment rates, highlighting the continued importance of broader macroeconomic and investment dynamics. The insignificant employment effect of renewable energy is interpreted cautiously, as the renewable energy share captures changes in the energy mix rather than direct green job creation or sector-specific labor demand. Overall, the findings suggest that expanding the renewable share alone may be insufficient to generate broad-based employment gains unless supported by complementary labor-market, industrial, and skills policies, particularly from a gender-sensitive perspective.

Özet

Bu çalışma, enerji dönüşümünün hızının —toplam nihai enerji tüketimi içinde yenilenebilir enerjinin payı ile temsil edilerek— erkek ve kadın işsizlik oranlarıyla ilişkili olup olmadığını incelemektedir. 2000–2022 dönemi için 35 Avrupa ülkesine ait yıllık veriler kullanılarak, işsizlikteki süreklilik ve açıklayıcı değişkenler arasındaki olası içsellik sorunlarını dikkate alan dinamik panel modeller Sistem Genelleştirilmiş Momentler Yöntemi (System GMM) ile tahmin edilmiştir. Ampirik bulgular, yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminin ne erkek ne de kadın işsizliği üzerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir etkiye sahip olmadığını göstermektedir. Buna karşılık, gelir artışı ve sermaye birikiminin işsizlik oranlarını azalttığı tespit edilmiştir. Bu sonuç, genel makroekonomik performansın ve yatırım dinamiklerinin istihdam açısından önemini ortaya koymaktadır. Yenilenebilir enerjinin istihdam üzerindeki anlamsız etkisi ihtiyatlı biçimde yorumlanmaktadır; çünkü yenilenebilir enerji payı, doğrudan yeşil istihdam yaratımından ziyade enerji bileşimindeki değişimi yansıtmaktadır. Genel olarak bulgular, yenilenebilir enerji payındaki artışın, özellikle toplumsal cinsiyet duyarlı bir bakış açısıyla, tamamlayıcı işgücü piyasası, sanayi ve beceri politikalarıyla desteklenmediği sürece geniş tabanlı istihdam kazanımları yaratmakta tek başına yeterli olmayabileceğini göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Özpolat, A., Özsoy, F. N., Büyükoğlu, B. (2026). Renewable Energy Consumption and Gendered Unemployment in Europe: Dynamic Panel Evidence (2000–2022). KADEM Kadın Araştırmaları Dergisi, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 1, 175–200. https://doi.org/10.21798/kadem.2026.207

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