The rush at the pump raises fears of serious consequences. The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Friday presented a list of ten “key actions” that would urgently curb fuel consumption, in order to reduce the risk of a new oil “shock”.
These short-term suggestions, aimed at governments and citizens, would have an immediate effect. They are aimed above all at advanced economies, “where it is feasible and culturally acceptable”, a group which today represents nearly half of world demand, underlines the IEA.
2.7 million barrels saved in 4 months?
If they were fully followed in these countries, 2.7 million barrels per day could be saved within four months, as much as the oil needed for the Chinese car fleet. Mathematically, they would have even more impact if the emerging economies also took hold of them, points out the IEA.
Some of these measures have already been applied in cities, sometimes for years. “The regulations implemented by the public authorities have shown their effectiveness, accompanied by information and awareness campaigns,” says the IEA.
Speed and telecommuting
The agency first proposes to reduce motorway speed limits for cars and trucks by at least 10 km/h. This would be one of the most effective measures, estimates the IEA: around 430,000 barrels of oil saved each day. “We have already done it for reasons related to traffic, or air pollution (…). We can do it again”, underlined the director of the AIE, Fatih Birol.
The second proposal would be to telecommute up to three days a week. Impact: one day of telework is 170,000 barrels per day (b/d) less, three days is 500,000. In advanced economies, around a third of jobs allow people to work from home, notes the IEA.
More cars in town on Sunday
The AIE then recommends banning cars in the city on Sundays, as already practiced in Paris, Tokyo, Brussels, Edinburgh… In 1973 the movement had also been launched in Switzerland, the FRG and the Netherlands. This would be, today, 95,000 barrels per day saved.
At the same time, the following proposal consists in supporting public transport (reducing the price of tickets, or even free tickets) and soft transport modes. About 330,000 barrels per day would be saved. In New Zealand, for example, ticket prices will be halved over the next three months in the face of rising fuel prices.
Car sharing and TGV rather than the plane
The other proposals consist, pell-mell, in alternating road traffic in the big cities (210,000 barrels per day less); to increase car sharing and the energy efficiency of one’s car (check tire pressure, raise the average air conditioning temperature by 3°C, etc.), which would save 470,000 barrels per day; to promote efficiency for road freight and deliveries (eco-driving, optimizing loading, etc.), to save 320,000 barrels per day.
Finally, according to the IEA, TGVs and night trains should be preferred to air travel to save around 40,000 barrels per day, avoid business travel by air when alternative options exist (260,000 arils per day saved), and strengthen the adoption of electric or more efficient vehicles (100,000 barrels per day saved).