IEA Urges Slower Driving and Remote Work to Mitigate Global Energy Crisis

The IEA urges governments to reduce driving speeds and promote remote work to ease the global energy crisis amid high prices caused by Gulf conflicts, proposing ten measures to cut energy use across travel, homes, and workplaces.

Global Call to Reduce Energy Consumption Amid High Prices

With energy prices remaining elevated due to ongoing conflict in the Gulf region, governments worldwide are being encouraged to implement measures such as lowering driving speed limits and promoting remote work to alleviate the energy crisis.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has proposed ten strategies aimed at decreasing global energy consumption, focusing on travel, residential energy use, and workplace habits.

IEA Executive Director Highlights Urgency

Fatih Birol, the IEA's executive director, spoke to the BBC about the severity of the situation, stating that the world is confronting

"the greatest global energy security threat in history"

. He emphasized the necessity for governments to be

"more vocal"

regarding energy usage.

Birol acknowledged the political challenges of such recommendations but noted that the current high energy prices provide a

"big incentive"

for adopting new approaches.

Regional Measures Already in Place

Several Asian nations have enacted policies to curb energy consumption. For example, Bangladesh restricts air conditioning temperatures to no lower than 25 degrees Celsius, while Thailand enforces a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius.

Additional measures include reduced operating hours for educational institutions and limitations on air travel for government officials. Pakistan and the Philippines have implemented a four-day workweek for public sector employees.

Additional Recommendations by the IEA

The IEA has also recommended that efforts be concentrated on conserving liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for essential uses such as cooking. This includes transitioning bio-fuel converted vehicles to gas and introducing other initiatives to decrease LPG consumption.

Birol noted that these proposals complement recent actions by IEA member countries, who agreed earlier this month to release 400 million barrels of oil, representing 20% of their emergency reserves.

He indicated that further releases of oil stocks could be considered if necessary and that discussions on this matter are ongoing with heads of state and government officials.

"I believe the world has not yet well understood the depth of the energy security challenge we are facing,"

"It is much bigger than what we had in the 1970s... It is also bigger than the natural gas price shock we experienced after the Russia's invasion of Ukraine."

Historical Context and Future Outlook

Reflecting on past energy crises, Birol recalled that governments responded to the 1970s energy price spikes with new strategies.

"One of them was a big wave of nuclear power plants built around the world,"

"Second, the car industry went through a major transformation. The amount of oil we use for driving 100 kilometres is halved because of the efficiency improvement in cars, the fuel efficiency."

Looking ahead, he anticipates increased investment in renewable energy generation, battery technology, and nuclear power.