Climate change impacts on heat stress in Brazil—Past, present, and future implications for occupational heat exposure

Abstract There is mounting evidence that climate change impacts compromise people’s well-being. Many regions of Australia have experienced record hot temperatures and more frequent and longer heat waves with substantial consequences for people, economies, and ecosystems. Using data from an Australia-wide online survey with 1101 respondents, we investigated the relationship between self-reported measures of heat stress and different dimensions of subjective well-being. After controlling for socioeconomic factors known to affect well-being, we found that heat stress was linked to people’s certainty about and planning for their future but not to their life satisfaction, happiness, social state, capabilities, or purpose in life. This result indicates that, while heat is not associated with present well-being, many people worry about the effect that increased heat will have on their future well-being. People who were uncertain about their future were also more likely than those who did not feel uncertain to think that heat compromised their productivity. People who agreed that they were competent and capable in their activities rated their heat stress–related productivity loss lower than those who disagreed. The findings are relevant for future studies using life-satisfaction approaches to assess consequences of climate change impacts and to studies in “happiness economics.” We recommend that future research on the impact of climate change on well-being go beyond simply life satisfaction and happiness and test multiple dimensions of well-being.

Download Full-text

Deciduous forest responses to temperature, precipitation, and drought imply complex climate change impacts

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1509991112 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 112 (44) ◽

pp. 13585-13590 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Yingying Xie ◽

Xiaojing Wang ◽

John A. Silander

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

New England ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

High Heat ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽

Temperate Deciduous

Changes in spring and autumn phenology of temperate plants in recent decades have become iconic bio-indicators of rapid climate change. These changes have substantial ecological and economic impacts. However, autumn phenology remains surprisingly little studied. Although the effects of unfavorable environmental conditions (e.g., frost, heat, wetness, and drought) on autumn phenology have been observed for over 60 y, how these factors interact to influence autumn phenological events remain poorly understood. Using remotely sensed phenology data from 2001 to 2012, this study identified and quantified significant effects of a suite of environmental factors on the timing of fall dormancy of deciduous forest communities in New England, United States. Cold, frost, and wet conditions, and high heat-stress tended to induce earlier dormancy of deciduous forests, whereas moderate heat- and drought-stress delayed dormancy. Deciduous forests in two eco-regions showed contrasting, nonlinear responses to variation in these explanatory factors. Based on future climate projection over two periods (2041–2050 and 2090–2099), later dormancy dates were predicted in northern areas. However, in coastal areas earlier dormancy dates were predicted. Our models suggest that besides warming in climate change, changes in frost and moisture conditions as well as extreme weather events (e.g., drought- and heat-stress, and flooding), should also be considered in future predictions of autumn phenology in temperate deciduous forests. This study improves our understanding of how multiple environmental variables interact to affect autumn phenology in temperate deciduous forest ecosystems, and points the way to building more mechanistic and predictive models.

Download Full-text

Households and heat stress: estimating the distributional consequences of climate change

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x1800013x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 349-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jisung Park ◽

Mook Bangalore ◽

Stephane Hallegatte ◽

Evan Sandhoefner

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Spatial Data ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Poor People ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Strong Negative Correlation ◽

Distributional Consequences ◽

Heat Extremes

AbstractRecent research documents the adverse causal impacts on health and productivity of extreme heat, which will worsen with climate change. In this paper, we assess the current distribution of heat exposure within countries, to explore possible distributional consequences of climate change through temperature. Combining survey data from 690,745 households across 52 countries with spatial data on climate, this paper suggests that the welfare impacts of added heat stress may be regressivewithincountries. We find: (1) a strong negative correlation between household wealth and warmer temperature in many hot countries; (2) a strong positive correlation between household wealth and warmer temperatures in many cold countries; and (3) that poorer individuals are more likely to work in occupations with greater exposure. While our analysis is descriptive rather than causal, our results suggest a larger vulnerability of poor people to heat extremes, and potentially significant distributional and poverty implications of climate change.

Download Full-text

345Occupational heat stress and economic burden: evidence to support development of workplace heat management policies

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyab168.089 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Borg ◽

Peng Bi ◽

Jianjun Xiang ◽

Olga Anikeeva

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Economic Burden ◽

Occupational Injuries ◽

Productivity Loss ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Work Efficiency ◽

Heat Management ◽

Management Policies

Abstract Background The adverse effects of heat on workers’ health and work productivity are well documented. However, the resultant economic consequences and productivity loss are less understood. This review aims to summarize the retrospective and potential future economic burden of workplace heat exposure in the context of climate change. Methods Literature was searched from database inception to October 2020 using Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. Articles were limited to original human studies investigating costs from occupational heat stress in English. Results Twenty studies met the criteria. Eighteen studies estimated costs from heat-induced labor productivity loss. Predicted global costs from lost worktime, in US$, were 280 billion in 1995, 311 billion in 2010 (≈0.5% of GDP), 2.5 trillion in 2030 (>1% of GDP) and up to 4.0% of GDP by 2100, with additional expenses after considering reduced work efficiency. Three studies estimated heat-related healthcare expenses from occupational injuries with averaged annual costs (US$) exceeding 1 million in Spain, 1 million in Guangzhou, China and 250,000 in Adelaide, Australia. Low- and middle-income countries and countries with warmer climates had greater losses as a proportion of GDP. Greater costs per worker were observed in outdoor industries, amongst males, and workers aged 25 to 44 years. Conclusions The estimated global economic burden of occupational heat stress is substantial. Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies should be implemented to likely minimize future costs. Further research exploring the relationship between occupational heat stress and related expenses from lost productivity, decreased work efficiency and healthcare, and costs stratified by demographic factors, is warranted. Key messages The estimated retrospective and future economic burden from occupational heat stress is large. Responding to climate change is crucial to minimize this burden. Analyzing heat-attributable occupational costs may guide the development of workplace heat management policies and practices as part of global warming strategies.

Download Full-text

Modelling climate change impacts on early and late harvest grassland systems in Portugal

Crop and Pasture Science ◽

10.1071/cp17428 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 69 (8) ◽

pp. 821 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Chenyao Yang ◽

Helder Fraga ◽

Wim van Ieperen ◽

João A. Santos

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Water Stress ◽

Climate Model ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Baseline Period ◽

Crop Model ◽

Extreme Heat ◽

The South ◽

Growing Season Length

Climate change projections for Portugal showed warming and drying trends, representing a substantial threat for the sustainability of forage production in perennial grassland. The objective of the present study was to assess climate change impacts on seasonal dry matter yield (DMY) in three locations (North-west-, Central-inner and South-Portugal) with different climatic conditions, for two grassland production systems deviating in growing season length, either early cuts in spring (ES) or late cuts in summer (LS). Impacts were estimated using the STICS (Simulateur mulTIdisciplinaire pour les Cultures Standard) crop model, by comparing a historical baseline period (1985–2006) with simulated projections over future periods (2021–2080). For this purpose, the STICS crop model was driven by high-resolution climate data from a coupled Global Climate Model/Regional Climate Model chain. As a result, we obtained that, during the baseline period, DMY of LS was consistently much higher than that of ES in all three locations. For LS, significant reductions in mean DMY were forecasted during 2061–2080, ranging from mild (–13%) in the north to severe (–31%) in the south of Portugal. In contrast, seasonal DMY was largely maintained for ES among sites until 2080, benefiting from low water deficits, the expected atmospheric CO2 rise and the forecasted temperature increase during cool season. Thus, the yield gap was projected to gradually decrease between the two regimes, in which mean DMY for ES was foreseen to exceed that of LS over 2061–2080 in the southern site. Moreover, ES was projected to have very low exposure to extreme heat and severe water stresses. Conversely, LS, subjected to high summer water deficit and irrigation needs, was projected to experience increased summertime water stress (9–11%) and drastically increased heat stress (33–57%) in 2061–2080, with more pronounced heat stress occurring in the south. Frequency of occurrence of extreme heat stress was projected to gradually increase in summer over successive study periods, with a concomitant increased intensity of DMY response to inter-annual variability of heat stress during 2061–2080. Heat stress tended to be more important than water stress under the prescribed irrigation strategy for LS, potentially being the main limiting factor for summertime DMY production under climate change scenario.

Download Full-text

Occupational Heat Stress: Multi-Country Observations and Interventions

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6303

Author(s):

Leonidas G. Ioannou ◽

Konstantinos Mantzios ◽

Lydia Tsoutsoubi ◽

Eleni Nintou ◽

Maria Vliora ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Labor Productivity ◽

Core Body Temperature ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Heat Strain ◽

Physiological Strain ◽

Industrial Sectors ◽

Work Shifts ◽

Core Body ◽

Occupational Heat Exposure

Background: Occupational heat exposure can provoke health problems that increase the risk of certain diseases and affect workers’ ability to maintain healthy and productive lives. This study investigates the effects of occupational heat stress on workers’ physiological strain and labor productivity, as well as examining multiple interventions to mitigate the problem. Methods: We monitored 518 full work-shifts obtained from 238 experienced and acclimatized individuals who work in key industrial sectors located in Cyprus, Greece, Qatar, and Spain. Continuous core body temperature, mean skin temperature, heart rate, and labor productivity were collected from the beginning to the end of all work-shifts. Results: In workplaces where self-pacing is not feasible or very limited, we found that occupational heat stress is associated with the heat strain experienced by workers. Strategies focusing on hydration, work-rest cycles, and ventilated clothing were able to mitigate the physiological heat strain experienced by workers. Increasing mechanization enhanced labor productivity without increasing workers’ physiological strain. Conclusions: Empowering laborers to self-pace is the basis of heat mitigation, while tailored strategies focusing on hydration, work-rest cycles, ventilated garments, and mechanization can further reduce the physiological heat strain experienced by workers under certain conditions.

Download Full-text

Occupational heat exposure and the risk of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional origin in the United States

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.00103.2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher L. Chapman ◽

Hayden W. Hess ◽

Rebekah A I Lucas ◽

Jason Glaser ◽

Rajiv Saran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

The United States ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Physical Work ◽

Occupational Heat Exposure

Occupational heat exposure is linked to the development of kidney injury and disease in individuals who frequently perform physically demanding work in the heat. For instance, in Central America, an epidemic of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional origin (CKDnt) is occurring among manual laborers, while potentially related epidemics have emerged in India and Sri Lanka. There is growing concern that workers in the United States suffer with CKDnt, but reports are limited. One of the leading hypotheses is that repetitive kidney injury caused by physical work in the heat can progress to CKDnt. Whether heat stress is the primary causal agent or accelerates existing underlying pathology remains contested. However, the current evidence supports that heat stress induces tubular kidney injury, which is worsened by higher core temperatures, dehydration, longer work durations, muscle damaging exercise, and consumption of beverages containing high levels of fructose. The purpose of this narrative mini review is to identify occupations that may place United States workers at greater risk of kidney injury and CKDnt. Specifically, we reviewed the scientific literature to characterize the demographics, environmental conditions, physiological strain (i.e., core temperature increase, dehydration, heart rate), and work durations in sectors typically experiencing occupational heat exposure, including farming, wildland firefighting, landscaping, and utilities. Overall, the surprisingly limited available evidence characterizing occupational heat exposure in United States workers supports the need for future investigations to understand this risk of CKDnt.

Download Full-text

O8B.5 Occupational heat exposure and cardiovascular health risks related to climate change in pacific countries

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oem-2019-epi.196 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. A73.1-A73

Author(s):

Ashley Akerman ◽

Jim Cotter ◽

Tord Kjellstrom

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Work Capacity ◽

Health Problems ◽

Physical Work ◽

Cardiometabolic Disease ◽

Physical Work Capacity ◽

The World ◽

Occupational Heat Exposure

Recent global analysis of current and future ambient heat conditions has shown that occupational heat exposure in Pacific countries, measured or projected as WBGT, is among the most extreme in the world. Many Pacific countries face a serious and unprecedented collision of adverse environmental, sociocultural/demographic and chronic health factors. Environmentally, high temperatures and humidity exist several months each year, reducing physical work capacity. Conservative assessments reveal annual loss of healthy work hours for a person working at 400 W metabolic rate in countries like Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Nauru and Guam increasing from 2%–3% to 9%–18% by 2100, based on the RCP6.0 pathway for climate change. Socio-culturally, such countries have low average income levels and high reliance on primary industries, so occupational and domestic exposure to ambient heat is chronic and somewhat intractable. Health wise, such countries have among the highest burden of chronic cardiometabolic disease in the world. Diabetes is already prevalent (20%–35%), as is hypertension. Casual links between heat exposure and cardiovascular health problems is strengthening and these health problems are becoming a major threat to health in Pacific countries. A diet that is increasingly more divergent from traditional foods is one key factor, but increasing heat conditions will contribute, particularly for people working in physically intensive occupations. Obesity is also prevalent, which is relevant because it adds to heat production while concurrently reducing heat loss, thereby impairing work capacity and tolerance of humid heat. Collectively these factors compromise thermal tolerance, reduce functional capacity and contribute to cardiometabolic disease. This paper will analyse the physiological base for the heat effects on cardiovascular disease with particular reference to occupational heat exposure, and estimate the impacts of climate change in the Pacific countries as well as identify solutions to reduce the future impacts.

Download Full-text