IEA Proposes Plan to Slash Oil Usage

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The IEA has some ideas on how to wean society off of oil.

Oil prices, and by extension gasoline prices, are still on the rise around the world as supply lines continue to endure problems and more countries close business dealings with Russia. While this has naturally been worrisome for many, some have seen the rising prices as an opportunity to begin cutting down the world’s general dependency on fossil fuels, not just to assuage rising fuel costs, but to begin a concentrated effort to combat climate change.

One such organization that wants to get started on this is the Paris-based International Energy Agency, which this morning proposed a new 10-point plan full of ideas of how the people of the world can cut back on gas usage both in the short term and long term. The ten ideas the IEA proposed were as follows:

  • Lower highway speed limits by at least 10 kilometers per hour (6.2 mph)
  • Work from home at least three days a week, when possible
  • Implement car-free Sundays for cities.
  • Reduce the cost of public transport and encourage people to walk and ride bicycles.
  • Use teleconferencing rather than air travel for business purposes
  • Use train travel instead of flight when available
  • Trade off private car use in cities
  • Urge car sharing
  • Improve efficiency of freight vehicles
  • Improve the efficiency of electric vehicles

“We estimate that the full implementation of these measures in advanced economies alone can cut oil demand by 2.7 million barrels a day within the next four months, relative to current levels,” the IEA’s report said.

“Reducing oil use must not remain a temporary measure. Sustained reductions are desirable in order not only to improve energy security but also to tackle climate change and reduce air pollution.”

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