UN Warns Heat Stress Threatens Workers and Global Economy!
UN urges urgent action as rising heat endangers workers' health and productivity.
The United Nations has issued a dire warning about the escalating impact of heat stress on workers worldwide, calling for immediate action to mitigate its devastating effects on health, productivity, and the global economy. The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in a joint report, highlighted the growing risks faced by workers, particularly in labor-intensive sectors like agriculture, construction, and fisheries, as global temperatures continue to rise.
The agencies noted that extreme heat events, increasing in frequency and intensity, are endangering both outdoor and indoor workers. Manual laborers are especially vulnerable, with productivity dropping by two to three percent for every degree above 20°C. Health risks include heatstroke, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and neurological disorders. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that over 2.4 billion workers—71 percent of the global workforce—are exposed to excessive heat, resulting in 22.85 million occupational injuries and nearly 19,000 fatalities annually.
“Occupational heat stress has become a global societal challenge, no longer confined to equatorial regions,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett. “Protection of workers from extreme heat is not just a health imperative but an economic necessity.” ILO’s Joaquim Pintado Nunes emphasized that investing in preventive strategies could save billions annually, warning that without coordinated action, heat stress could become one of the most devastating occupational hazards.
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The WHO and WMO urged governments, employers, and health authorities to implement tailored occupational heat action plans, focusing on vulnerable groups such as middle-aged and older workers or those with chronic health conditions. The guidance stressed the importance of collaboration between workers, trade unions, health experts, and local authorities to develop widely supported heat-health strategies. It also highlighted the frequent misdiagnosis of heat stress symptoms, underscoring the need for better awareness.
WHO’s environment chief, Ruediger Krech, noted that the last WHO guidance on workplace heat stress, issued in 1969, is outdated given the unprecedented severity of modern climate change. “Each of the past 10 years has been among the warmest ever recorded,” he said. WMO’s Johan Stander added, “We must face the future of extreme heat. It’s a reality for many: a case of adapt or die.”
The UN’s call to action underscores the urgent need for global strategies to protect workers and sustain economic stability in the face of rising temperatures.
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