Equity issues in the face of global warming are at the center of discussions in Baku, during the COP29 on climate. It is in fact a question of the upward revaluation of international financing for developing countries; they contribute the least to climate change but pay the most for its consequences. Beyond the human and material damage, they must also face economic and productivity losses.
If we take into account the consequences of heat waves alone, 512 billion hours of work were lost globally in 2023. A colossal figure which represents the equivalent of one less year of work for 170 million people. Mainly affected, outdoor workers, make up a quarter of the world’s population. Among them, it is those in the agricultural sector who pay the heaviest price, accounting for two thirds of the hours lost.
It is the poorest countries that are most affected by the phenomenon. States with the lowest human development index depend more than others on agricultural work. Within them, on average, each worker missed 200 hours last year due to heat waves, enough to reduce their GDP by 8 points. The situation is all the more unfair since rich countries, with the highest human development index, have only lost 41 hours per worker: the equivalent of 1% of their GDP. In total, on a global scale, it is estimated that these lost hours are equivalent to nearly 800 billion euros in lost revenue for the global economy.
When the hours are worked, the consequences are not any lighter. The International Labor Organization estimates that excessive heat is responsible for 23 million work accidents per year worldwide, and nearly 20,000 deaths. L’Africa is the most affected continent, with 93% of its workforce exposed.
Little advanced thinking
Thought to protect against the effects of heat at work remains embryonic, regrets theWorld Labor Organization. Few international initiatives have been identified and the organization calls for updating national regulations. Some countries are moving in this direction by allowing outdoor workers to shift their hours on hot days. We also have to deal with a glaring lack of data: for example, there are many more studies carried out on public health than on occupational health.
We can nevertheless recall the golden rule in terms of risk prevention: before thinking about equipping exposed people, the simplest thing is to eliminate the risk, or at least mitigate it. In this case, the first step towards the solution is to continue to reduce human emissions of greenhouse gases, the main causes of global warming.
Also readGlobal warming is already affecting workers, says ILO
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