How climate crisis is affecting our jobs
Universal Kraft is hiring! We are looking for a Project Manager and a Commercial. If you are looking for a new opportunity in renewable energy, apply to join our team in Porto.
However, the climate crisis is changing the way we live and the way we work. The UN’s International Labour Organization reported that?80 million jobs would be at risk?if rising temperature predictions materialize, with productivity impacted by unlivable working environments.
The?energy industry is one sector particularly open to transitional risk. With the push for greener energy sources, governments are increasingly shifting to a reliance on renewable energy sources, and demanding net-zero carbon emissions from energy producers.
Recently, the US Supreme Court effectively handcuffed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by limiting its ability to reduce greenhouse gases and to hold fossil fuel firms accountable for their emissions.
While the effect of the climate crisis is largely unpredictable, we can feel reasonably confident that it will undermine global job markets. In addition, it appears that — despite climate accords and rousing speeches — it may be up to private, profit-oriented companies to help lead us into a green future.
A recent UN report found that?80 million full-time jobs will be lost due to warmer global temperatures?and that up to 2.2% of total working hours worldwide will be cut due to the heat.
Climate refugees may also place unique pressures on job markets in the coming years. Since 2008, 21.5 million people have been “forcibly displaced” due to weather events like flooding, storms, wildfires, and extreme temperatures. By 2050, the number of climate refugees is likely to exceed 1.2 billion.
领英推荐
For instance, climate change has already impacted construction, resulting in weather-related delays and increased building costs.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Global Energy Transformation report: “Renewable energy needs to be scaled up at least six times faster for the world to start to meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.”
How to prevent climate crisis to affect the work market
First of all, it is important to recognize that some meaningful steps have been taken to reduce the impact of climate change on workers all over the world.
Corporate climate responsibility alone clearly isn’t the solution to climate change, but it’s a good place to start. In reality, it’s estimated that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions since 1988.?Corporations are well-positioned to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their employees?as, unlike government agencies, they can move quickly to provide better working conditions and make a meaningful impact in their local environment.