Germany Sees Work From Home as Chance for Greener, Better Life

(Bloomberg) --

Roughly a third of Germans expect fewer business trips and more video conferences in the years following the outbreak of the coronavirus, according to a study published on Thursday.

While that’s slightly less than in the rest of the world, Germany’s environment minister sees an opportunity to improve the climate and the quality of life by commuting less.

“Nobody wants life to remain like it was during the pandemic,” said Svenja Schulze, who presented the study carried out by Ernst & Young and the Wuppertal Institut think tank. “But we should keep some of the new routines.”

About a quarter of employees worked at home at least part of the time during the pandemic, according to the paper. Internet traffic related to video conferences rose 120% in a sample measurement at a digital crosspoint in Frankfurt, the research showed.

According to the authors of the study, passenger traffic could be reduced long-term by around 8% if home office and remote access are promoted.

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