Energy consumption and working hours: a longitudinal study of developed and developing nations, 1990–2008

This study advances sociological research on the environmental impacts of working hours. Proponents of economic degrowth propose that a reduction in working time slows economic growth, which yields both social and environmental benefits. Building on such arguments, the authors conduct longitudinal analyses of the effects of average annual working hours on total energy consumption for samples of both developed and developing nations, and assess the extent to which the effect of working hours on energy consumption changes through time. The results suggest that the effect of working hours on energy consumption has increased through time, and this trend is observed for the samples of both developed and developing nations. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical and policy implications of the findings.