International Energy Agency calls on people to work from home as oil crisis worsens
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is urging people to work from home wherever possible as part of a broader set of emergency measures to help ease skyrocketing oil prices and fuel shortages triggered by the escalating war in the Middle East.
In a new report released Friday, the Paris-based agency described the conflict as causing the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.”
The crisis stems from severe restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a critical chokepoint that normally handles around 20 million barrels per day, equivalent to about 20% of global oil consumption.
Flows have slowed to a trickle amid the fighting, which has also led Gulf producers to slash output by at least 10 million barrels per day due to storage constraints and export challenges.
Crude oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel, with even steeper increases in refined products such as diesel, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The IEA warned that without a swift resumption of transit through the Strait, the impacts on energy markets and global economies will intensify.
To blunt the blow to consumers, the agency outlined 10 immediate demand-side measures that governments, businesses, and households can adopt. These focus mainly on curbing oil use in road transport, which accounts for about 45% of global demand, as well as in aviation, cooking, and industry.
Topping the list: Work from home where possible. The IEA highlighted that remote work displaces oil consumed in daily commuting, especially for jobs amenable to it. Other recommendations include:
- Reducing highway speed limits by at least 10 km/h to cut fuel consumption for cars, vans, and trucks.
- Encouraging greater use of public transport, car-sharing, and efficient driving practices.
- Implementing alternate-day car access in large cities (e.g., number-plate restrictions) to reduce congestion and unnecessary driving.
- Optimising freight and delivery operations for better diesel efficiency.
- Shifting away from non-essential air travel where alternatives exist to preserve jet fuel.
- Promoting switches to electric or other modern cooking solutions to ease pressure on LPG supplies.
- Encouraging industry to use alternative feedstocks and short-term efficiency improvements.
The IEA emphasised that while these steps cannot fully offset the massive supply losses, widespread adoption could meaningfully lower costs for consumers, reduce market strains, and prioritise fuels for essential needs.
It called for coordinated action, with governments leading through regulations, incentives, and public-sector examples, targeting support to the most vulnerable rather than broad subsidies.
“The war in the Middle East is creating a major energy crisis, including the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement. “In the absence of a swift resolution, the impacts on energy markets and economies are set to become more and more severe.”
