Europe's climate is changing faster than any other region in the world, bringing with it increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events. The summer of 2026 was exceptionally hot and dry in Europe, with June being the warmest on record. in the history of measurements with a temperature 3.1 \u00b0C higher than the average for the years 1991-2020. This climate shift is no longer just an environmental issue, but represents a fundamental economic and social challenge with direct impacts on the world of work, employee health, productivity and the overall structure of the labor market.<\/p>\n
The average annual economic damage caused by extreme weather in Europe between 2021 and 2024 reached approximately 54 billion euros<\/strong>, representing 0.3 % of the European Union's GDP. Under a 2\u00b0C global warming scenario by 2050, the EU faces cumulative economic losses of 2.5 trillion euros<\/strong>, with particularly severe impacts on the regions of Southern and Eastern Europe.<\/p>\n The most significant direct climate pressure in workplaces is increasing heat stress. Up to 46.8 % people<\/strong> in the EU reports experiencing excessive heat at work or study. Without adequate adaptation measures, heat alone will lead to a decline in work productivity in the EU by 0.9 % per year by 2050<\/strong> and only at 2.5 % by 2080<\/strong>. In the worst-case climate scenario, productivity losses in the most affected European regions could reach up to 6 %<\/strong> and a decline in regional GDP 4 %<\/strong>. The number of days with a high risk of heat stress in southern Europe will increase from current lows to 30 to 45 days a year in the 2050s<\/strong> and for more than 80 days a year until 2080<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Direct risks most affect professions with physically demanding outdoor work. In 2024, work in high temperatures was reported 27 % men versus 13 % women<\/strong>, with the highest shares recorded by agriculture (68 %)<\/strong>, construction (52 %)<\/strong>, industry (33 %)<\/strong> a transport (33 %)<\/strong>. A particularly vulnerable group are workers in non-standard forms of employment and migrants, who are over-represented in risky sectors and often face limited access to social protection or health insurance.<\/p>\n While climate change brings risks, policies aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050 are reshaping the structure of employment. The overall net effects on employment will be modest, but could even be positive if accompanied by the right labour market and education policies. The number of green jobs in the EU has increased by more than 100,000 since 2018. 35 %<\/strong>.<\/p>\n However, the view on the scope of the green economy varies depending on the methodology used:<\/p>\n At the same time, between 2015 and 2024, four of the six key transforming sectors saw employment growth: electricity and gas supply (+12 %)<\/strong>, water management and waste treatment (+10.3 %)<\/strong>, transport (+4.4 %)<\/strong> a construction (+3.9 %)<\/strong>. On the contrary, energy-intensive industries recorded a decrease in their share of employment from 3.7% to 1.3%. 3.5 % in 2024<\/strong>, while employment in the mining industry fell by as much as 25 %<\/strong>. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, however, energy-intensive industry still accounts for approximately 7 % of total employment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Massive investments in renewables and energy efficiency are leading to a widespread shortage of skilled workers. In 2025, the EU reported a shortage in at least 22 professions<\/strong> across five or more Member States. The most frequently missing plumbers and pipe fitters<\/strong> (19 states), air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics<\/strong> (16 states), roofers<\/strong> (14 states), civil engineers<\/strong> (13 states) and insulators<\/strong> (12 states).<\/p>\n The green transformation also brings significant differences in the quality of jobs:<\/p>\n To cope with these changes, the EU has adopted a legislative target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 % by 2040<\/strong> compared to 1990 and to achieve full climate neutrality by 2050. The key instruments are the package Fit for 55<\/em>, Green Deal Industrial Plan<\/em> whether Clean Industry Act<\/em>.<\/p>\n To ensure that the transition leaves no one behind, the EU is mobilising funds through Just Transition Fund (JTF)<\/strong> a Social-Climate Fund<\/strong>. At the same time, emphasis is placed on strengthening occupational health and safety (OHS) \u2013 from the introduction of personal protective equipment against heat, adjusting working hours and breaks in the workplace to the systematic inclusion of climate risks in workplace risk assessments. JRi&CO2AI<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nGreen Transformation: Green Job Growth and Measurement<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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Labor shortages and job quality disparities<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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Policy framework and just transition<\/strong><\/h5>\n