“Fossil fuels and climate change: migrant workers take the heat”

…Deaths of workers from heat-related causes have been reported in Italy, the U.S. and South Korea. In India, 170 people were reported to have died due to heat-related illnesses in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar…

It is well established that fossil fuel extraction is the key driver of human induced climate change which is leading to these conditions…

…Chronic exposure to this level of heat can create cumulative stress on the human body, and risks exacerbating the impact of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and kidney disease… heat cramps, heat exhaustion, hyperthermia and heat stroke.

Construction workers, who carry out strenuous work in areas exposed to the sun, very often wearing heavy personal protective equipment, are at particular risk of heat stress. Migrant labourers comprise about 90 percent of the UAE workforce and include approximately 500,000 construction workers…

None of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have laws that adequately mitigate the risk posed to outdoor workers by its extremely harsh climate…

The UAE will this year host COP28, the global gathering of states to try to address the climate emergency. The irony is profound…