Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between working hours and environmental pressures using panel data from 30 countries—including the European Union (EU) countries, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK—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 paper provides 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, the study provides consistent empirical association between working hours and environmental pressures, which could also be evidence of an environmental Kuznets curve.