The discreet release of an emergency energy playbook has ignited global apprehension, with some voices warning of a potential “lockdown 2.0” scenario if the situation surrounding fuel shortages deteriorates further.

This guidance stems from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which recently unveiled a report titled “Sheltering From Oil Shocks.” The document lays out ten strategic steps that nations could adopt in the event of tightening oil supplies.

The report emerges in the wake of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which have significantly disrupted the flow through the Strait of Hormuz. This crucial oil passage has seen traffic nearly grind to a halt, prompting fears of enduring shortages and a spike in fuel prices worldwide.

Among the IEA’s recommendations are measures such as promoting remote work wherever feasible, lowering speed limits on highways, and reducing air travel to alleviate the burden on global oil reserves.

The agency further advises transitioning travel patterns from private automobiles to public transportation and suggests implementing vehicle access restrictions in major urban areas on alternating days, determined by license plate numbers.

Additionally, the IEA recommends enhancing carpooling efforts, embracing fuel-efficient driving techniques, and reallocating liquefied petroleum gas from vehicles to conserve it for critical uses.

Several of the measures, if adopted, would require sweeping changes to daily routines, particularly in major cities heavily dependent on private vehicles and air travel. 

While the watchdog said the steps are intended to help countries stretch limited supplies, stabilize markets and shield households from the worst effects, the 10 measures have sparked fury online.

Many social media users linked the report to Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, with some writing: ‘We’re not doing this again.’

The IEA found that adding three additional work-from-home days per week for eligible workers could reduce national oil consumption from passenger vehicles by two to six percent

Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil and another five million barrels of refined oil products typically pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day, accounting for about 20 percent of global oil consumption. 

With shipments disrupted, crude oil prices have already surged past $100 per barrel, sending shockwaves through global markets and raising alarm among countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern supplies.

Even short disruptions to traffic through the strait can ripple across global supply chains within days, driving up fuel costs and straining economies worldwide.

The report lays out a sweeping list of changes aimed at cutting energy demand across daily life, with many of the most immediate steps focused on transportation, one of the world’s largest sources of oil consumption.

The IEA found that adding three additional work-from-home days per week for eligible workers could reduce national oil consumption from passenger vehicles by two to six percent, while individual drivers could cut their own fuel use by as much as 20 percent.

Reducing highway speed limits by about six miles per hour could lower fuel consumption for individual drivers by five to ten percent, while cutting national oil use for private cars by one to six percent. 

Heavy freight trucks, which typically operate at lower speeds, could still achieve savings of around five percent.

The IEA also urged governments to shift more travelers onto public transportation, including buses and trains, which could reduce national oil demand for cars by one to three percent. 

The report also suggested reducing highway speed limits by about six miles per hour to lower fuel consumption for individual drivers by five to ten percent

Encouraging walking and cycling for shorter trips would deliver even greater reductions.

In densely populated cities, officials recommend limiting private vehicle access on alternating days based on license plate numbers, a strategy designed to reduce congestion, engine idling and fuel-intensive stop-and-go driving. 

Such measures could cut national car oil use by one to five percent.

The report also highlighted the role of car sharing and more efficient driving habits, such as maintaining proper tire pressure, limiting air conditioning use and avoiding aggressive acceleration. 

When combined, these steps could reduce fuel demand for passenger vehicles by up to eight percent.

Commercial transportation is another major target. The agency said eco-driving practices for delivery trucks and freight vehicles, including optimizing loads, reducing unnecessary braking and limiting idling, could lower fuel consumption for commercial road transport by three to five percent.

In areas where vehicles rely on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the IEA suggested shifting those vehicles back to gasoline where possible, preserving limited LPG supplies for critical uses such as cooking and household heating.

Taken together, the recommendations reflect a worst-case planning scenario designed to prevent widespread shortages if global oil flows remain disrupted.

Beyond road transport, the report warns that aviation, household energy use and industry must also adapt if shortages worsen.

One of the most dramatic recommendations calls for slashing business air travel by as much as 40 percent, a move the agency said could significantly reduce jet fuel demand worldwide. 

The IEA estimated that cutting business-related flights at that scale could lower global jet fuel demand by seven to 15 percent, particularly if companies widely adopt virtual meetings.

Households are also urged to prepare for potential cooking fuel shortages by switching to electric or alternative cooking methods, particularly in regions heavily dependent on LPG supplies.

Industrial operations are also under scrutiny, with the report urging facilities to prioritize available fuel sources and improve maintenance practices, steps that could reduce oil use in individual facilities by up to five percent.