Job–environment feedbacks – Nature Sustainability

With a substantial percentage of total employment globally tied to water-dependent activities, the consequences of water systems’ degradation are far-reaching¹. Water scarcity and water quality deterioration are responsible for the reduced productivity of agriculture, hydropower and thermal power generation, and various industries relying on water for manufacturing processes. Additionally, the degradation of aquatic and marine ecosystems severely diminishes their capacity to provide essential resources and benefits, with impacts on fisheries, raw material production, tourism-related and recreational activities and occupations. The effects of degraded land and soil systems have equally alarming impacts on various industries and employment sectors. Land-soil systems are directly connected with agriculture and food production, with even small environmental damages affecting production and increasing costs substantially². Deforestation and land degradation affect the forestry industry and drive resource scarcity, impacting the availability of several materials typically used for manufacturing, alongside their disastrous ecological consequences. Deteriorated soils can also cause problems in other key economic sectors, such as construction, renewable energy projects and infrastructure development.

Degraded air and atmospheric systems affect crop yields and soil quality, leading to decreased agricultural productivity, along with food security concerns³. They also pose serious restrictions to several sectors and occupations (for example, construction, tourism, other outdoor activities and recreation) due to the associated health impacts and need to limit exposure, with consequences for all relevant jobs⁴.