Relationships between coworking spaces and CO2 emissions in work-related commuting: first empirical insights for the case of Switzerland with regard to urban-rural differences

Abstract

Today in transport policy it is assumed that new forms of work are producing falls in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from work-related commuting. So far, research on the effects of teleworking generally report positive environmental outcomes. However, no study has so far compared and contrasted the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of the new phenomenon of coworking spaces with regard to urban-rural differences. Our results based on a representative sample of Swiss coworkers indicate that CO2 emissions from commuting for work are significantly lower for urban coworking spaces (350 kilograms/year) than for rural coworking spaces (940 kilograms/year). If coworkers only would have worked in their coworking spaces, there would be a 10% reduction in CO2 emissions of their commutes. Overall, our results indicate that coworking spaces, especially in urban areas, have the potential to support Switzerland’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.