Teleworking: an effective solution against global warming?

The summer we have just had was one of all records. The title of Le Monde was thus “The summer of the end of recklessness”, referring together to current and future fires, heat records, storms and disasters.

If for years, scientists and associations have alerted us to the risks associated with Global warming, and therefore to our CO2 emissions (which are the main cause), this summer has succeeded in proving them right and convincing the most skeptical.

To achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreements in order to remain below 2 degrees of global warming (and if possible 1.5), there is still a long way to go.

While a transformation of individual behaviors is essential, playing together is necessary. In particular, this involves a concrete action and immediate of The State, of communities And undertakings.

As such, the way people work and travel has a considerable impact; it is the first factor in CO2 emissions in France. If we take air traffic for example, 25% of trips are made for professional reasons. While these trips remain occasional for most employees, their impact is nonetheless very significant.

When it comes to daily “home-work” trips, the car remains the first means of transport; ¾ of French people go to work alone by car (ADEME), not to mention that vehicles are increasingly larger and polluting (+470% of SUVs in the world in 10 years; ADEME).

Thus, teleworking, especially if it is associated with a reduction in the size of offices, can lead to a significant reduction in a company's emissions.

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However, this transformation requires very good communication from the teams and an adapted organization; this is especially why we created M-Work — we'll come back to that later.

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The goals to reduce our emissions

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In order to achieve the goals of limiting global warming, the Paris Agreements have, among other things, set goals to reduce our gas emissions greenhouse gases, and in particular carbon.

France is thus aiming for carbon neutrality On the horizon 2050 (Source: National Low-Carbon Strategy), involving a division by 6 of GHG emissions on its territory compared to 1990.

This deadline implies a gradual trajectory, with as an intermediate step a reduction of 40% by 2030. To do this, it is imperative to act on the various emission areas, and in particular transport, the main emitters (39%; ADEME) of CO2 in France.

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On this point, initiatives have begun to emerge, such as the sustainable mobility package, but these are far from sufficient.

In order to act quickly, the individual behaviors of each employee are not enough and the response of companies must be global in order to have an indispensable systemic impact.

For example, the government recently launched its working group on the subject of energy sobriety, including, whose complete plan is expected at the end of September. Among the options mentioned, The use of teleworking is among the most promising, alongside the renovation of buildings or the development of reconditioning systems for example.

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How can I concretely take action in my company?

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In order to implement remote working effectively in your company, and especially at the service of a low-carbon strategy, it is imperative to follow a certain number of steps (see our article on the subject). It is also necessary communicate clearly about reduction goals of carbon, and measure them. This is what m-work allows, at the level of each collaborator, team or company - I don't really take a car, but that gives an order of magnitude!

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Beyond the reduction of travel-related emissions, offices must be adjusted in order to reduce their consumption when they are empty or less busy.

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The bounce effects (for example, increased heating for an employee who works from home) must be taken into account in the flexible work policy. Les offices must therefore be adapted ; in fact, reducing energy consumption only works if the surfaces are revised downwards.

When it comes to travel, not all of them can be avoided, especially for businesses located outside major cities, which are better served. As such, organizing your teams in advance also makes it possible to detect carpooling opportunities, for example.

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Conclusion

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On the eve of a winter that will be marked by the imperative of energy sobriety (due both to global warming and to the war in Ukraine), it is urgent action. Some policies that are simple to put in place can have a very direct impact. Teleworking is one of them and should be put on the agenda for professions that allow it.

To find out more about the potential impact of teleworking on your corporate carbon footprint, you can contact us directly or ask for a demo on our website by clicking here.

sourcing :

• https://jancovici.com/transition-energetique/transports/benefices-environnementaux-envisageables-lies-a-lintroduction-du-teletravail/

• https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/emissions-mondiales-carbone-ont-fortement-augmente-au-cours-derniere-decennie-des-solutions-existent
• https://agirpourlatransition.ademe.fr/particuliers/bureau/deplacements/teletravail-ca-change-quoi-planete
• https://multimedia.ademe.fr/infographies/infographie-la-mobilite-ademe/
• https://multimedia.ademe.fr/infographies/infographie-la-mobilite-ademe/

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