From Workplace to Anyplace
This report focuses on the opportunities to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in work-related contexts, thanks to the deployment of IT solutions that enable one or more individuals to work or collaborate remotely. In particular the report analyzes the potential associated with teleworking and virtual meetings to reduce carbon emissions from daily commuting by car and business air travel, and the conditions under which such potential could be realized. The goal of the report is to gain an understanding of the scale of the opportunities available while identifying the key drivers that may enable or hinder the full achievement of such opportunities. By analyzing different trajectories of possible future developments, this report provides insight into a future in which maximum GHG emission reductions could be achieved.
The premise for the analysis is that IT is best seen as a catalyst that can either be used in ways that reduce our environmental footprint or can be deployed within systems that ultimately result in an increased environmental footprint. Because the policy and economic environment in which IT technology is deployed largely determines its net impact on GHG emissions, this report outlines four scenarios for possible future developments, characterized by different roles and attitudes in policy makers and IT industry (see table below).
The first part of the report provides a background on current trends in teleworking and virtual meetings in key regions around the world. This is followed by the description of four potential “future worlds” that would result in different outcomes for global GHG emissions. The final part of the report discusses the policies and strategies that can be deployed jointly, by policy makers and IT providers and users, to foster the adoption of solutions such as teleworking and virtual meetings and to maximize their benefits in terms of GHG emission reductions.
