Governments and organisations are revisiting remote working as a way to cut fuel use in response to a global oil supply crisis.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about 20% of global oil flows, has slowed shipping and pushed crude prices above $100 per barrel. Refined fuels such as diesel and jet fuel have risen even more sharply.
To ease pressure, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has coordinated the release of 400 million barrels from emergency reserves, the largest in its history. Yet supply-side action alone is not enough, and demand reduction is now seen as essential.
The IEA has outlined ten immediate steps that governments, businesses and households can adopt, many focused on road transport, which accounts for nearly half of global oil demand.
These include working from home to reduce commuting, lowering highway speed limits, encouraging public transport, alternating vehicle access in cities, promoting car sharing and efficient driving, and improving freight operations.
Other measures involve diverting LPG away from transport, reducing air travel where alternatives exist, adopting alternative cooking solutions and enhancing industrial efficiency.
While such steps cannot fully replace lost supply, they can ease market pressure, preserve fuel for essential uses and help stabilise costs until flows through the Strait of Hormuz return to normal.
