Home office could significantly reduce commuting emissions - study

(Clean Energy Wire, 20 Aug 2020) The increase of remote working triggered by the coronavirus pandemic can contribute significantly to reducing emissions in the transport sector, according to a study by the Berlin-based IZT-Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment commissioned by Greenpeace.

The increase of remote working triggered by the coronavirus pandemic can contribute significantly to reducing emissions in the transport sector, according to a study by the Berlin-based IZT-Institute for Future Studies and Technology Assessment commissioned by Greenpeace.

In Germany, studies indicate that the percentage of teleworkers temporarily increased to between 25 and 37 percent due to COVID-19. While the authors note that it is unlikely that a large share of employees will continue to work from home following the crisis, they expect them to add one or two teleworking days to their workweek.

With many employees unintentionally becoming teleworkers and travelling less, the beneficial impact on the climate was clearly evident, and new routines could accelerate the trend towards more flexible working patterns and in turn lead to less CO2 emissions as everyday commuting becomes increasingly unnecessary, write the study’s authors, Lisa Büttner and Anna Breitkreuz.

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Clean Energy Wire, 20 Aug 2020: Home office could significantly reduce commuting emissions - study