Governments urged to protect workers as extreme heat threatens global health and productivity
Rising global temperatures are exposing billions of workers to dangerous heat levels, prompting United Nations agencies to call for urgent protections to prevent health risks and economic losses.
Jennifer Rigby reports for Reuters.
In short:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization warn that manual laborers, particularly in agriculture, construction, and fisheries, are suffering severe health effects from escalating heat due to climate change.
- New data show productivity drops 2–3% for every degree above 20°C, and over 2.4 billion workers face heat exposure that leads to nearly 23 million injuries annually.
- The agencies call for region-specific heat action plans and better training for health workers, noting that heat stress is often misdiagnosed and insufficiently addressed.
Key quote:
“No-one should have to risk kidney failure or collapse just to earn a living.”
— Rüdiger Krech, director ad interim for environment, climate change and health, WHO
Why this matters:
As climate change drives more frequent and intense heatwaves, the global workforce — especially those in outdoor, manual jobs — faces a mounting public health crisis. Heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, heatstroke, and kidney damage are already widespread, yet protections remain patchy. The burden falls disproportionately on workers in lower-income countries and marginalized communities, where labor laws are weaker and safety measures are limited. These risks disrupt entire industries, from food production to construction. As temperatures climb, the strain on healthcare systems and economies will continue to grow.
Related: Trump administration cuts halt early heat alerts as death toll rises
