More than 70% of workers worldwide exposed to climate change risks: ILO

More than 70% of the global workforce is exposed to risks linked to climate change, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths every year, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said on Monday, adding that governments should act if numbers rise.

Workers, especially the world’s poorest, are more vulnerable than the general population to the hazards of extreme climate events such as heat waves, droughts, forest fires and hurricanes because they are often exposed first, or exposed for longer periods and with greater intensity.

As climate change accelerates, governments and employers are struggling to protect workers, the ILO said in a report.

“A staggering number of workers are already exposed to hazards related to climate change in the workplace, and these figures are likely to get worse,” said the report, titled “Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate.” .

“As (the hazards) evolve and intensify, it will be necessary to re-evaluate existing legislation or create new regulations and guidelines.”

Some countries have improved heat protection for workers, such as Qatar, whose policies came under scrutiny ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

However, regulations to control other hazards, such as the increasing use of pesticides by farm workers, are less common.

“We have a number of countries that already limit exposure to high temperatures and also limit exposure to air pollution, but we have rarely set occupational exposure limits for the other hazards,” said Manal Azzi, ILO Senior Specialist on Safety and occupational health.

The share of global workers exposed to the most widespread hazard, rising temperatures, has increased by about 5 percentage points over the past two decades to 70.9%, the report said. Other climate hazards often coexist, creating a “cocktail of hazards.” the report said, with UV radiation and air pollution each affecting 1.6 billion people.

Because a worker is likely to be exposed to multiple hazards at once, an ILO spokesperson said it was impossible to calculate exactly what proportion of the 3.4 billion global workforce was at risk.

Climate-related hazards are linked to cancer, kidney dysfunction and respiratory diseases, leading to deaths or debilitating chronic conditions or disabilities.

Air pollution is the deadliest risk, causing around 860,000 work-related deaths among outdoor workers every year, the ILO report said. Excessive heat causes 18,970 workplace deaths annually and UV radiation kills 18,960 people from non-melanoma skin cancer, the report said.

“The greatest impacts will be felt by the working poor, those working in the informal economy, seasonal workers and employees in micro and small enterprises,” the report said.

In some cases, the very technologies intended to slow climate change, such as solar panels and lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, could end up creating new dangers because they contain toxic chemicals, the report said.

First print: April 23, 2024 | 12:04 pm IST