To mark International Workers' Day, which is celebrated every year on May 1st, the Afrik21 editorial team takes a look at the impact of climate change on health and working conditions. According to the United Nations, 70% of the world's workforce is affected.
The findings are alarming. Up to 2.4 billion workers worldwide in all sectors are exposed to health risks linked to climate change. These include excessive heat, ultraviolet rays, extreme weather events, air pollution, vector-borne diseases and agrochemicals.
Among the concrete consequences of climate change on workers’ health are “cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, kidney dysfunction and mental health problems”, says the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its report Occupational safety and health in the era of climate change. It is published to mark International Labour Day, which is celebrated around the world every 1 May.
Sub-Saharan Africa is not spared
The figures are clear. “More than 70% of workers (out of a global workforce of 3.4 billion) are likely to be exposed to excessive heat at some point during their work. There are 18,960 work-related deaths each year from non-melanoma skin cancer as a result of excessive heat exposure,” says the ILO team of experts led by scientist Manal Azzi.
This situation is fairly recurrent in sub-Saharan Africa, and more particularly in the Sahel, which has seen record temperatures in recent months. An unprecedented heatwave, to the great displeasure of civil engineering professionals, itinerant traders and other workers carrying out their activities in the open air. And so another problem is added: exposure to pollution. This phenomenon affects 1.6 billion workers worldwide and causes at least 860,000 deaths among “these outdoor workers”, according to the ILO.
Working conditions at risk in the face of climate change: what are the solutions?
In addition to health and safety, the risks posed by the climate are jeopardising working conditions. Heat stress can lead to fatigue and reduced performance. A study by Salima Benhamou and Jean Flamand goes further, pointing to “reduced alertness and concentration, increased reaction times, blurred vision, nervousness and mood swings”. The two researchers believe that these drought-related impacts hamper data analysis, decision-making and tracking, while jeopardising “the quality of working relationships (irritability, impulsive behaviour, etc.) between colleagues and with customers or users”.
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It is therefore “time to act”, according to the United Nations, which is recommending concrete initiatives such as the revision or creation of new regulatory frameworks and the improvement of climate mitigation strategies along the lines of “energy efficiency measures” in working environments. In terms of typical “work-climate” legislation, France is one of the few countries to have taken up the issue as part of the implementation of the eighth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG8) on decent and secure employment. The Élysée has already promulgated an Occupational Health Plan (PST), a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC) and a National Health and Environment Plan (PNSE).
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
