Women in New Zealand generate less greenhouse emissions when travelling than men, new research has found.
The University of Otago research discovered women use more diverse travel options, as well as walking and using public transport more than men.
When it comes to cycling, more than twice as many men cycled as women - 5 per cent compared to 2 per cent.
However overall, both men and women tended to travel by car, lead researcher Dr Caroline Shaw says.
New Zealand has the highest level of car ownership in the OECD per capita, according to the research.
"Women are already more flexible and lower carbon travellers than men," she says.
"We need to provide them with better opportunities and support to do more of this type of travel."
The study looked at the travel habits of around 50,000 New Zealanders between 2002 and 2014.
It was based on data from the Ministry of Transport's New Zealand Household Travel Survey.
"Women took more trips, but travelled between 12 and 17 per cent fewer kilometres per day and were more likely to walk and use public transport than men," Dr Shaw says.
"Thus, women overall had a more diverse and lower greenhouse gas emission travel profile than men."
Those shorter trips could be replaced with cycling instead, Dr Shaw says.
But it would take improved cycling infrastructure to help encourage people to switch to the bike.
"These would likely require whole street/suburb changes to make them safer and more attractive to walk and cycle for the whole family and be relevant for the places that women travel between, such as shops, schools and libraries, as well as workplaces," Dr Shaw says.
"There are many opportunities to make men’s travel lower carbon as well; the regular commute is the perfect trip to replace with cycling or public transport as it is predictable and regular."
The research was published in the Journal of Transport and Public Health .
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