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Many jobs can be created by achieving sustainability in the energy sector. Limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius by 2100 will 24 million jobs in construction, electrical machinery manufacturing, copper mining, renewable energy production and biomass crop cultivation. 6 million jobs can be created by adopting the circular economy. Promoting sustainability in agriculture will change rural economies. Workers and employers are key actors in the transition towards environmental sustainability.

The world of work is intrinsically related to the environment. 1.2 billion jobs depend on services provided by the environment. Some countries have seen their economies grow and their emissions decline. Hours of work will decline by 2 percent by 2030 due to heat stress. 23 million working life years have been lost to disasters every year since 2000. Environmental degradation enhances inequality.

The need for social protection systems will increase as temperatures increase, precipitation patterns change and natural disasters become more common and intense. Unemployment protection schemes need to cover all workers and support those who lose their jobs in the shift to an environmentally sustainable economy. Cash transfer programmes help people cope with environmental events. Public employment programmes can combine economic, social and environmental objectives to support adaptation to and mitigation of environmental degradation. Payment for ecosystem services can also target environmental and social objectives. Extending social protection and green investment leads to positive economic and social outcomes.

Boxes 3.1 Heat stress and vulnerable outdoor workers in the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe 37 4.1 Vulnerability to heat exposure among farm workers in North America 44 4.2 Heat stress, poor working conditions and health impacts among workers on Central American sugar cane plantations 45 5.1 Heat-related risks and occupational safety and health measures in the GCC countries 53 6.1 Occupational heat stress and brickmaking workers in India 59 6.2 The impact of outdoor occupational heat stress in the Islamic Republic of Iran 60 6.3 Extreme heat and migration in Pakistan 60 6.4 Low-income outdoor workers and heat stress risks in Da Nang, Viet Nam 61 6.5 The impact of climate change on the labour market in Thailand 62 7.1 Ambient temperature, heatwaves and occupational injuries in Europe and Central Asia 68 8.1 Heat stress as a driver of migration: Implications for policy action 78 8.2 Adapting to heat stress in the agricultural sector 81 7. Europe and Central Asia 65 7.1 Current and projected heat levels 65 7.2 Labour market trends 66 7.3 Subregional and national estimates 67 7.4 Conclusion and key findings 718. Employment and labour market policies Part I. Adapting to heat-related hazards through international labour standards and tripartism 73 8.1 The role of international labour standards 75 8.2 The role of governments 77 8.3 The role of employers 79 8.4 The role of workers 80 8.5 The role of social dialogue 82 9. Employment and labour market policies Part II. Complementary mitigation efforts to reduce heat-related hazards 83 9.1 Mitigation pathways and occupational heat stress 83 9.2 Long-term projections of the impact of heat stress 84 9.3 Employment opportunities resulting from mitigation efforts 86 Conclusion 87 Appendix I. Detailed methodology 89 Appendix II. Comparison of in-shade and in-sun estimates 93 Bibliography 97 Contents Contents Heat is an occupational safety and health hazard Excessive heat during work creates occupational health risks; it restricts a worker's physical functions and capabilities, work capacity and productivity. Temperatures above 24-26°C are associated with reduced labour productivity. At 33-34°C, a worker operating at moderate work intensity loses 50 per cent of his or her work capacity. Exposure to excessive heat levels can lead to heatstroke, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Workers in all sectors are affected, but certain occupations are especially at risk because they involve more physical effort and/or take place outdoors. Such jobs are typically found in agriculture, environmental goods and services (natural resource management), construction, refuse collection, emergency repair work, transport, tourism and sports. Industrial workers in indoor settings are also at risk if temperature levels inside factories and workshops are not regulated properly. At high heat levels, performing even basic office and desk tasks becomes difficult as mental fatigue sets in. Heat stress is projected to reduce total working hours worldwide by 2.2 per cent and global GDP by US$2,400 billion in ...