Estimated count for number of outdoor workers exposed to 100ºF in the U.S. 2050
Outdoor workers have a much higher risk of dying from heat exposure than the general population. Suppose no decisive actions are taken to reduce global emissions to curb global warming soon. In that case, the number of U.S. outdoor workers exposed to days with a heat index above 100ºF is forecast to increase from 315 million people per year historically to about 1.4 billion people per year by midcentury. If action against climate change proceeds slowly, on the other hand, the number of outdoor workers is estimated to increase to some 1.1 billion people per year, a figure roughly 21 percent lower in comparison to the no-action scenario.