Looming oil crisis has energy watchdog begging people to drive less

photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images

The international agency established to secure the globe's oil supply is asking people to drive less because of high gas prices. The International Energy Agency released a 10-point plan today as the world nears peak oil demand season.

The world may be facing its biggest oil supply shock in decades because of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The agency says that if advanced economies can cut back on their oil use, they could cut demand by over 2 million barrels a day. It would be like removing the demand for oil from all the cars in China.

According to the IEA, some of the fixes that cut down on gas demand are surprisingly simple. Carpool for a while. You could take public transport, walk, or bike. The IEA wants public transit operators to reduce their fares.

The IEA wants to work from home several times a week. The biggest lift it proposes is for cities to designate car-free Sundays.

If you need to take your old gas-guzzler somewhere, the IEA suggests you take other measures to improve fuel efficiency, like turning the air conditioning to a lower setting and monitoring your car's tire pressure. The IEA recommends that you don't drive as fast. When it comes to flying, the IEA recommends taking a train or other mode of transportation instead of cars.

The immediate crisis of war spurred these measures, but they are worth getting used to in the long run. Reducing oil use should not be a temporary measure.