Home comforts: can remote work be better for the environment?
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- Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows more than a third of Australians now spend at least some of their working lives outside the office, with most managers and professionals working remotely at least part-time.
- Victoria's incoming premier Ben Carroll delayed a proposed legal right to work from home at least two days a week from September to July next year after business pushback and with a November state election on the horizon.
- A US study found people choosing to work from home full-time could reduce their emissions by up to 54%, though those savings may be partially offset by increased car use for social and recreational errands.
- Australian research suggests that if capital city employees worked from home 1.5 to four days a week, national emissions could fall by 1.2m to 5.8m tonnes, as reduced transport emissions outweigh higher residential energy use.
- A 2026 International Energy Agency report recommends remote work to displace oil-based commuting, estimating one remote day per week across the workforce could save 24m tonnes of CO2 annually.
- University of Sydney researcher Jungsoo Kim found the increase in household energy use from working from home was more modest than often assumed — particularly when work happens in spaces that would already be occupied rather than dedicated home offices.
- Dorina Pojani of the University of Queensland backed legislating work-from-home rights in Australia, calling it "absolutely a positive for society and the environment."
Why it matters: For Australians who can work remotely, the climate case appears real — a potential 1.2-5.8m tonne national emissions reduction — but real-world gains depend on commute distance, transport mode, home energy use, and whether displaced trips become discretionary car journeys. Victoria's delay means workers won't have a legal right to WFH until July 2027.
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