Don't read this article for its systemic examination of the climate related changes upon huge swathes of the Earth's population with rising temperatures in which it is too hot to work. Read it for the impressive analysis interlinking climate, social, and potential policy measures that could be taken in order to build resilience, fairness, and compassion into our relationships with work, especially among large number of people who must work exposed to the environment.

The article tackles issues like rethinking the work week and minimal working conditions, issues that have already been pushed to the fore during the COVID pandemic. It proposes job guarantees and new roles for markets and governments that allows labor to flow back and forth between private and public sector pools, while ensuring continued essential contribution to the economy and better conditions for workers that sustain them through highly changeable market conditions.

By Justin H Vassallo

Published in Noema, a publication of the Berggruen Institute