The Impacts of Climate Change on the Labor Market and Potential Policy Actions to Mitigate its Effects: From the need to develop new skills on the human capital and to deal with labor migration
This panel will explore how labor migrants can help meet the demand for new green jobs, focusing on which sectors and job types are suitable given their skills and backgrounds. It will also discuss the training needed for migrants to support a green transition and highlight successful projects linking labor migration with green economic goals. Key issues include ensuring decent jobs, labor rights, and fair conditions for migrants, and viewing labor migration as an adaptive response to climate change rather than a failure.
With international migration increasing and estimated to reach 343 million by 2050, migrant workers, particularly those in vulnerable sectors, face significant challenges. Recent events like COVID-19 have intensified their vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for better integration into disaster preparedness and resilience strategies.
Research from South Korea demonstrates that climate change negatively affects labor productivity and equity, revealing the urgent need for climate-labor policies that support green growth and mitigate productivity declines. This research highlights the critical intersection of climate change and labor markets, offering insights for designing effective policies to protect labor productivity and promote sustainable economic growth amidst climate challenges.
