International Labour Review | 2026
Authors: Akgüç M.
DOI: 10.16995/ilr.23792
Journal: International Labour Review
Year: 2026
Publisher: Open Library of Humanities
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
This article investigates the relationship between working hours and environmental pressures using panel data from 30 countries – including the European Union countries, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – over several decades. It examines four indicators: carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions, carbon footprint, total ecological footprint and energy use. Building on established theories and introducing several extensions, the article describes the estimated effects of working hours on environmental variables, controlling for key macroeconomic and structural factors. Results show a significant positive association between working hours and environmental pressures (especially CO2 emissions). These findings remain robust across specifications, though effect sizes vary. Further estimations along the distribution of environmental variables reveal stronger associations at the lower and middle ends, particularly for CO2 . While not claiming causality, I find a consistent empirical association between working hours and environmental pressures, which could also be evidence of an environmental Kuznets curve. © The author(s) 2026. Journal compilation © International Labour Organization 2026.
carbon and ecological footprint; CO<sub>2</sub> emissions; energy use; environmental Kuznets curve; environmental pressures; hours worked; working time reduction