Climate change impacts on working people: how to develop prevention policies

Abstract

Τhe evidence on negative consequences from climate change on human health and well-being is growing (1-5). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described climate change as a T threat to the climate system that sets the basis for life and human health conditions (6). The changing climate is expected to affect basic requirements needed to support and sustain human health such as good food, clean water, and unpolluted air, with negative effects that are expected to be unequally distributed. Climate change has several direct adverse effects on working people such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke (7), as well as indirect effects including increased risks for infectious diseases, changing distribution and transmis- sion patterns of vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, water and sanitation problems, and injuries due to extreme weather events (5). The poorest countries and the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in all countries will experience the worst consequences from climate change (5, 8, 9). Regardless of the wealth of any nation, those who are poor, sick, very young or old, and those working intensely in high heat exposure are most at risk (10). Climate change and health is a relatively new research field that has a number of gaps in both current evidence and future projections. Strong calls have been made (5) to develop and implement strategies for mitigation and adaptation to the changing climate to protect health. Some of the predicted risks to health will be reduced by general improvements in public health in line with the Millennium Development Goals (9). Other risks can be managed by ‘adaptation policies and actions,’ the success of which will depend on the speed and extent of climate change and the level of global cooperation to implement measures to support and protect vulnerable regions and populations. The reduction of negative effects of excessive direct heat exposure on the health and productivity of working people are more difficult as air conditioning cannot be applied in all workplaces. The world is getting hotter and projections suggest that temperatures will continue to increase. During the last 100 years, the global average surface temperature has increased about 0.748C and over the past 50 years more widespread changes in extreme temperatures and precipitation have been reported and the rate of change has increased over time (6). Areas with very hot seasons will be particularly affected, as the heating world brings extreme heat conditions. Heat waves and increasing temperatures are reported to have fatal and severe non-fatal impacts on human health (11). It is expected that mortality associated with increased temperatures, including those from extreme heat events, will become more extensive geographically with increased climatic variability (12). In this special issue of Global Health Action a collection of papers are published in connection with COP 16 (Cancun, Mexico, December 2010) focusing on the impact of the current climate and climate change on working people. Most of the papers deal with conditions related to heat exposure and some relate to other occupational health problems linked to climate change. The impact of a changing climate on health, well-being, and productivity of working people is an area with consequences at all levels of society: family, community, region, country (7). There are also economic consequences for individual workers and their families, employers, and countries that deserve special attention.