'You feel like you're suffocating': Florida outdoor workers are collapsing in the heat without water and shade

Florida has passed legislation banning local safety rules for outdoor workers, despite heat stress set to cost global economy $2.4tn by 2030Unprecedented number of heat records broken this yearHow does today's extreme heat compare with Earth's past climate?It was a hot, muggy day in south Florida when Cristina Lopez sank to her knees, overcome by a wave of nausea and dizziness, as the sun beat down relentlessly on the plant nursery where the Guatemalan migrant works with three of her children.Lopez was thirsty, overheating, and unable to continue lugging plant pots as the heat index topped 100F (38C). She could barely see straight, but employers are not required to give outdoor workers regular breaks or access to shade, and Lopez said she was reprimanded for taking a short rest. Continue reading...