March 30, 2009 - Worldwide implementation of existing teleworking and videoconferencing technologies could cut greenhouse gas emissions equal to half the U.S.'s current carbon footprint by 2050, according to a pair of new reports from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The first report, "From Workplace to Anyplace," highlights opportunities for business to employ IT solutions that allow employees to work or collaborate remotely. New efficiencies in daily commuting and business travel could cut greenhouse emissions by 3.5 billion tons by 2050, the report estimates.

The report also notes that, while teleworking in developed countries may cut the most greenhouse gas emissions in the short term, developing countries can deliver the bulk of the reductions over the long term.

The second report, "Virtual Meetings and Climate Innovation in the 21st Century," calculates the impact of employee travel on a company's total carbon footprint – 50% or more for non-manufacturing companies.

"IT can be a significant driver of greenhouse gas reductions, but we need strong global climate policy to ensure these solutions are implemented at the speed and scale necessary to make a difference," says Dennis Pamlin, a WWF policy advisor and co-author of the report. "But we must start to walk in the right direction now, before it's too late."

Implementing these existing technologies need not break the bank, according to Pamlin. He estimates, for example, that creating a global network of videoconferencing studios would cost "less than one and a half airplanes."