Does Working from Home Pollute? The Environmental Effects of WFH

Simon Briole and Emmanuelle Lavaine ()
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Emmanuelle Lavaine: CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier

Working Papers from HAL

Abstract: Work-from-home (WFH) arrangements experienced an unprecedented boom since the Covid-19 crisis, raising questions about their environmental impact. This study investigates the causal effect of WFH on P M 2.5 concentrations, the most harmful air pollutant globally, using high-resolution pollution data and employment records from France. We find that WFH increases P M 2.5 levels, especially in areas with many home-based workers. Residential emissions surpass reductions in transport pollution, leading to a net rise in air pollution. These findings highlight the need for policies to address the environmental challenges of WFH, particularly through energy efficiency and cleaner heating technologies.

Keywords: air pollution; work from home; P M 2.5; environment; remote work; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04690210v1
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Working Paper: Does Working from Home Pollute? The Environmental Effects of WFH (2024)
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