Rising Temperatures: The Silent Threat to Global Workforce Health

A UN report reveals that extreme heat significantly drops workforce productivity and presents severe health risks. The WHO and WMO urge urgent intervention to address this crisis, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive and economically fair solutions, involving policy changes, technology, and deeper research for effective heat stress management.

Global workforce productivity diminishes markedly as temperatures soar, according to a new United Nations report, which discloses that every degree increase past 20°C results in a 2-3% drop in productivity.

The report, produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), draws from decades of research to underscore the direct threat workplace heat stress poses to workers' health and productivity.

Special attention is called to vulnerable populations, economic disparities, and the integration of cultural context into climate adaptation strategies.

(With inputs from agencies.)