How low-income populations work determines carbon footprint reduction from remote work

Abstract

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a key mitigation strategy for climate change has become a global consensus. Remote work, which has good carbon footprint reduction potential, is widely considered a sustainable working mode. However, it is still unknown the extent to which occupations and means to work may influence the pathways of carbon footprint reduction from remote work when interacting with income groups of populations.This study investigates whether optimizing low-carbon scenarios centered on remote work in four major U.S. cities impacts inequality between high and low-income populations. Firstly, we employ an emissions coefficient methodology to quantify the per capita carbon footprint reductions achieved by remote workers within Census Block Groups (CBGs). Secondly, we estimate the decarbonization potential of remote work across urban areas, crafting an optimized scenario that strikes a balance between carbon footprint reduction objectives and urban economic development. This scenario entails transitioning a minimal number of workers from on-site to remote work. Lastly, we analyze the implications of this scenario on high and low-income groups. Our findings suggest that within the constructed low-carbon scenario, low-income individuals are predominantly employed in professions with limited remote work opportunities. Paradoxically, they shoulder a more substantial burden in terms of carbon reduction efforts, underscoring the challenges faced by low-income populations in diminishing their carbon footprints. Consequently, our study offers fresh empirical insights for researchers and policymakers to evaluate the equity aspect of remote work's carbon reduction potential, highlighting the disproportionate challenges faced by low-income groups. In formulating remote work carbon footprint reduction strategies, it is crucial to strike a balance between carbon footprint reduction allocation and other socio-economic costs, while also exploring feasible pathways and actions to attain these goals.