The health consequences of climate change can include cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, kidney dysfunction and mental health conditions, ILO warned in a recent report.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) recently warned that climate change can lead to a wide range of health issues. More than 70% of the global workforce faces potential exposure to health hazards related to climate change, and current occupational safety and health (OSH) measures are struggling to manage these risks.
According to the ILO’s report, “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate,” climate change is already severely affecting workers’ health and safety worldwide. The ILO estimates that over 2.4 billion workers (from a global workforce of 3.4 billion) are likely to be exposed to extreme heat during work, with the percentage of workers exposed rising from 65.5% in 2000 to 70.9% by 2020.
It’s clear that climate change is already creating significant additional health hazards for workers. It is essential that we heed these warnings. Occupational safety and health considerations must become part of our climate change responses – both policies and actions.
said Manal Azzi, OSH Team Lead at the ILO.
As climate-related hazards grow and become more severe, existing regulations will need to be reassessed, and new laws and guidelines may be necessary. Certain worker groups may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and might require extra safeguards. In addition to addressing the impacts identified in the report, workplaces can also play a role in climate change mitigation by improving energy efficiency.
However, the shift towards green and sustainable technologies may bring new OSH risks, especially if protections aren’t adequately in place. For instance, solar panels, compact fluorescent lamps, and lithium-ion batteries contain harmful chemicals that pose health hazards to workers.
Financial implications for employers should also be considered, including lost productivity, business disruptions, infrastructure damage, and the costs of climate change mitigation and adaptation as new regulations are introduced. According to Deloitte, sectors like agriculture, traditional energy, heavy industry, manufacturing, transport, and construction are expected to be significantly impacted by climate change and the transition to a net-zero economy.
While reducing greenhouse gas emissions through strategies like those outlined in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) remains a global priority, the ILO stressed that actions must also address the complex challenges climate change poses for workplaces and occupational safety and health.
-Earth’s average surface temperature in 2023 was the warmest on record, with July 2023 being the hottest month ever recorded (NASA 2024).
-Between 2011 and 2020, the average temperature of the Earth’s surface was 1.1°C warmer than the average temperature in the late 19th century (IPCC 2022).
-An analysis by the World Economic Forum found that by 2050, climate change is likely to result in 14.5 million additional deaths worldwide
