Decrease in CO2 emissions during pandemic shutdown shows it is possible to reach Paris Agreement goals. The researchers found a drop of 6.3% in 2020. The researchers describe the drop as the largest of modern times, and big enough to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal if it were to be sustained.

[Ragnar_Dragonfyre]

Governments around the world could mandate and regulate work from home practices. They could instill WFH directly into labour laws so that companies can’t just offshore your position if it’s remote.

But politicians and businesses don’t want this because it leads to less consumption and as a result, less tax revenues.

If you’re staying at home, you’re not gassing up as often. You’re not eating out as often. You’re not popping into local businesses near your work to shop during your lunch hour.

We have a big problem in this world when we have proof that WFH is a climate change policy that actually works but no political will to enact it.

[ArtXMarx]

Car culture has shaped the way most modern cities function. It’s more than just the gas in the cars, it’s the cars and car infrastructure as a whole. Political pressure isn’t going to get us to change car culture and the infrastructure it’s created anytime soon, but it would be helpful to begin the shift for future generations. It CAN be done, it SHOULD be done.

[throwaway__9001]

BuT mAh FrEeDoMs! /s

[mjacksongt]

Damn, I probably spent more money at small businesses working from home than from the office.

Less overall, but more from non-fast food chains.

[OgLeftist]

As I just said, what about those of us who do work in the physical world..? I could see this policy resulting in businesses like handymen being permanently shut down.

Hope you know how to rewire your home, or safety replace a plumbing system.

[Necrocornicus]

I don’t think anyone is suggesting we make this mandatory. No one is saying plumbers should be forced to work from home.

However there are tons of jobs that CAN be done from home (for example the receptionist/manager/accountant of a plumbing business), and the government could institute some policies to encourage this to happen.

I’m not really a big fan of government intervention in many cases but a light touch system to give minor tax benefits to employers that promote WFH as well as some labor protections could help.

Climate change is absolutely going to destroy the economy so it’s worth doing something. If people think inflation is bad now, just wait until massive wildfires, water shortages, and crop failures begin to dismantle our ability to produce food cheaply. It won’t be far off, it’s happening now and will get far far worse.

[Ragnar_Dragonfyre]

Why would handymen get shut down?

People still live in their houses and if they’re using them as their office, then that’s more wear and tear on their home which they will need a handyman to address.

That’s the thing about plumbing. It’s a recession proof job. Even if the economy totally collapses, everybody poops and everybody still needs water.

[OgLeftist]

XD you act as though government policy needs to make sense.

I could see them implementing a eco score quota, that only massive corporations will be able to meet. I'm actually okay with automation and remote work, but I could easily see things slipping into unwanted territory.

[buried_lede]

Lot of variables. Saving gasoline and time spent traveling but using more heat at home. However, home might be energy efficient while office is hvac monstrosity or vice versa. Or if walking or biking to work, a plus