Page 282 - Special Topic Session (STS) - Volume 1

STS429 Catherine S.
4. Jobs rely heavily on a healthy and stable environment and the
services it provides …
From a jobs perspective, environmental sustainability is critical. In fact, the
increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters associated with human
activity have already reduced productivity. Annually, between 2000 and 2015,
natural disasters caused or exacerbated by humanity resulted in a global loss
of working lives equivalent to 0.8 per cent of a year’s work. Looking ahead,
projected temperature increases will make heat stress more common,
reducing the total number of working hours by 2.0 per cent globally by 2030
and affecting above all workers in agriculture and in developing countries. The
damage associated with unmitigated climate change will therefore undermine
GDP growth, employment, and working conditions. Local air, water and soil
pollution and other forms of environmental degradation negatively affect
workers’ health, income, food and fuel security, as well as their productivity.
The adoption of specific policy measures can reduce its negative impact,
including occupational safety and health measures, social protection policies
and other actions designed to adapt to a changing environment.

5. … which highlights the urgency of the transition to environmental
sustainability for the world of work
Currently, 1.2 billion jobs rely directly on the effective management and
sustainability of a healthy environment, in particular jobs in farming, fishing
and forestry relying on natural processes such as air and water purification,
soil renewal and fertilization, pollination, pest control, the moderation of
extreme temperatures, and protection against storms, floods and strong
winds. Environmental degradation threatens these ecosystem services and the
jobs that depend on them. The effects of environmental degradation on the
world of work are particularly acute for the most vulnerable workers. Workers
from lower-income countries and Small Island Developing States, rural
workers, people in poverty and other disadvantaged groups are affected the
most by the impact of climate change. The transition to a green economy is
not only urgent for the sake of the planet, but is also compatible with
improvements in decent work. A key finding of this report is that many
countries have succeeded in improving labour market outcomes while at the
same time decoupling growth from carbon emissions.

6. Complementary policies can promote employment and mitigate the
effects of climate change
Although climate change mitigation measures may result in short-term
employment losses, their negative impact on GDP growth, employment and
inequality can be reduced through appropriate policies. Climate change
mitigation could reduce slightly the share of women in total employment, as

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