scholarly journals Climate change, heat stress and labour productivity: A cost methodology for city economies

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Labour Productivity

Influence of occupational heat stress on labour productivity – a case study from Chennai, India

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremiah Chinnadurai ◽  
Vidhya Venugopal ◽  
Kumaravel P ◽  
Paramesh R
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Threshold Limit Value ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – Raise in temperatures due to climate change is likely to increase the heat stress in occupations that are physically exerting and performed outdoors which might potentially have adverse health and productivity consequences. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the productivities in construction work under the influence of heat stress using the predicted mean vote (PMV) index. Design/methodology/approach – Field studies were conducted during May 2014 which is summer time in Chennai. Continuous heart rate of workers and wet bulb globe temperature measurements are conducted for workers engaged in different jobs in construction. Metabolic rates and the workload of the workers from heart rate were calculated using the ISO method 8996 and the PMV values are calculated using the tool developed by Malchaire based on the method ISO 7730. Direct observations and personal interviews were conducted to substantiate the productivity estimations. Findings – The results showed that workers working outdoors with moderate and heavy workload exceeded the threshold limit value of 28°C and had adverse productivity impacts (18-35 per cent productivity loss), whereas the workers engaged in light indoor work was not affected by heat stress and consequent productivity losses. The productivity estimations using the PMV index is found to be statistically significant for three types of construction works (Pearson correlation coefficient value of −0.78) and also correlated well with the observations and self-reported productivities of the workers. Originality/value – The method used in this paper provides a scientific and reliable estimation of the productivities which may benefit the industry to set realistic project completion goals in hot weather and also implement interventions and policies to protect workers’ health. Developing adaptive strategies and implementing control measures are the need of the hour to protect worker’s health and economic losses in the face of climate change.

scholarly journals Regional disparities and seasonal differences in climate risk to rice labour

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 124004
Author(s):  
Charles Simpson ◽  
J Scott Hosking ◽  
Dann Mitchell ◽  
Richard A Betts ◽  
Emily Shuckburgh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Coupled Model ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Regional Disparities ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Seasonal Differences ◽  
Near Surface

Abstract The 880 million agricultural workers of the world are especially vulnerable to increasing heat stress due to climate change, affecting the health of individuals and reducing labour productivity. In this study, we focus on rice harvests across Asia and estimate the future impact on labour productivity by considering changes in climate at the time of the annual harvest. During these specific times of the year, heat stress is often high compared to the rest of the year. Examining climate simulations of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6), we identified that labour productivity metrics for the rice harvest, based on local wet-bulb globe temperature, are strongly correlated with global mean near-surface air temperature in the long term (p ≪ 0.01, R 2 > 0.98 in all models). Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C rather than 2.0 °C prevents a clear reduction in labour capacity of 1% across all Asia and 2% across Southeast Asia, affecting the livelihoods of around 100 million people. Due to differences in mechanization between and within countries, we find that rice labour is especially vulnerable in Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and the Indian states of West Bengal and Kerala. Our results highlight the regional disparities and importance in considering seasonal differences in the estimation of the effect of climate change on labour productivity and occupational heat-stress.

Projections of global labour productivity under climate change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole van Maanen ◽  
Shouro Dasgupta ◽  
Simon N. Gosling ◽  
Franziska Piontek ◽  
Christian Otto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
National Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Model Intercomparison ◽  
Impact Models

<div> <div> <div> <p>Labour productivity declines in hot conditions. The frequency and intensities of extreme heat events is projected to increase substantially with climate change across the world, which causes not only severe impacts on health and well-being but could also lead to adverse impacts on the economy in particular in developing countries. Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is a commonly used metric that combines temperature and humidity to estimate the occurrence of heat stress in occupational health. Although the links between heat stress and economic effects are well established, there are substantial differences between existing impact models of labour productivity.</p> <p>Here we present results of future changes in labour productivity based on a comprehensive intercomparison of labour productivity models across indoor and outdoor working environments, locations and countries. Under the framework of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP), we applied projections from multiple bias corrected global climate models to multiple labour productivity impact models and consider different socioeconomic futures. In addition to models used in existing literature, we use a newly developed model based on empirical exposure-response functions estimated from three- hundred surveys (56 million observations) from 89 countries, that allows for projections at the sub-national level. Based on our model intercomparison results, we can provide robust and spatially explicit projections for changes in labour productivity across the globe. At the same time, our approach allows us to assess and compare existing models of labour productivity estimates, therefore covering multiple dimensions of uncertainty.</p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Urban Geometry Optimization to Mitigate Climate Change: Towards Energy-Efficient Buildings

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Hatem Mahmoud ◽  
Ayman Ragab
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Urban Geometry ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
The Impact

The density of building blocks and insufficient greenery in cities tend to contribute dramatically not only to increased heat stress in the built environment but also to higher energy demand for cooling. Urban planners should, therefore, be conscious of their responsibility to reduce energy usage of buildings along with improving outdoor thermal efficiency. This study examines the impact of numerous proposed urban geometry cases on the thermal efficiency of outer spaces as well as the energy consumption of adjacent buildings under various climate change scenarios as representative concentration pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 climate projections for New Aswan city in 2035. The investigation was performed at one of the most underutilized outdoor spaces on the new campus of Aswan University in New Aswan city. The potential reduction of heat stress was investigated so as to improve the thermal comfort of the investigated outdoor spaces, as well as energy savings based on the proposed strategies. Accordingly, the most appropriate scenario to be adopted to cope with the inevitable climate change was identified. The proposed scenarios were divided into four categories of parameters. In the first category, shelters partially (25–50% and 75%) covering the streets were used. The second category proposed dividing the space parallel or perpendicular to the existing buildings. The third category was a hybrid scenario of the first and second categories. In the fourth category, a green cover of grass was added. A coupling evaluation was applied utilizing ENVI-met v4.2 and Design-Builder v4.5 to measure and improve the thermal efficiency of the outdoor space and reduce the cooling energy. The results demonstrated that it is better to cover outdoor spaces with 50% of the overall area than transform outdoor spaces into canyons.

Bedeutung des Innenraumklimas und Hitzestress im Zuge des Klimawandels/Importance of indoor climate and heat stress in the era of climate change

Gefahrstoffe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 81 (07-08) ◽  
pp. 279-282
Author(s):  
Thomas Ackermann ◽  
Andreas Matzarakis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Gesetzliche Vorgaben

Hitzewellen, die in Folge des Klimawandels häufiger, intensiver und länger auftreten werden, führen zu einer Belastung des Menschen, insbesondere in Städten. Die dort befindlichen Gebäude und Flächen heizen sich durch die Sonneneinstrahlung tagsüber auf, kühlen aber im Vergleich zum weniger verdichteten Umland während der Nachtphase geringfügiger ab. Die sich daraus ergebenden langanhaltend hohen Temperaturen wirken sich besonders belastend auf den menschlichen Körper aus und verursachen negative Folgen, wie den Anstieg der Mortalität. Um mit den künftig intensiveren Hitzewellen besser umgehen zu können und um Gesundheitsrisiken zu vermeiden, sollten für städtische Räume und dort vor allem für Innenräume Anpassungsmaßnahmen entwickelt werden. Darüber hinaus sollten Regelungen getroffen werden, die sowohl im Zusammenhang mit dem Energieverbrauch bzw. Wärmeschutz stehen, als auch gesetzliche Vorgaben bezüglich Grenz- und Schwellenwerten berücksichtigen und dabei nicht nur auf der Lufttemperatur beruhen, sondern thermische Indizes, die auf den Wärmeaustausch des Menschen und die thermischen Auswirkungen besser quantitativ beschreiben können.

A review of intervention methods used to reduce flying-fox mortalities in heat stress events

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Matthew Mo ◽  
Mike Roache
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evaporative Heat Loss ◽  
Temperature And Humidity ◽  
Intervention Trials ◽  
Individual Scale ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Flying Fox

Heat stress events in Australian flying-fox camps have resulted in significant numbers of flying-fox deaths. The frequency and intensity of such events have increased in recent decades, attributed to anthropogenic climate change. Evidence-based interventions are required to address this growing threat. Responders currently use different combinations of a range of intervention methods. We undertook a systematic review of heat stress interventions, which we classified as either ‘camp-scale’ or ‘individual-scale’. Camp-scale interventions included manual and automated misting of roost vegetation, whereas individual-scale interventions included spraying individual animals or removing them for intensive cooling and rehydration procedures. Our study showed that to date, evaluation of the efficacy of heat stress interventions has been largely anecdotal rather than empirical. This highlights the need for dedicated rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of all the intervention methods described here. It will be especially important to understand the relationship between camp temperature and humidity levels and their influence on flying-foxes’ ability to regulate their body temperature, because high relative humidity reduces the ability of mammals to cool themselves using evaporative heat loss. The development of biophysiological measures such as temperature and humidity indices for different flying-fox species would enable meaningful interpretations of intervention trials under controlled conditions.

scholarly journals The impacts of increased heat stress events on wheat yield under climate change in China

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 605-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Yang ◽  
Zhan Tian ◽  
Laixiang Sun ◽  
Baode Chen ◽  
Francesco N. Tubiello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Wheat Yield

The impact of extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems: a review

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Chang-Fung-Martel ◽  
M. T. Harrison ◽  
R. Rawnsley ◽  
A. P. Smith ◽  
H. Meinke
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Potential Productivity ◽  
Extreme Climatic Events ◽  
Dairy Systems ◽  
The Impact

Extreme climatic events such as heat waves, extreme rainfall and prolonged dry periods are a significant challenge to the productivity and profitability of dairy systems. Despite projections of more frequent extreme events, increasing temperatures and reduced precipitation, studies on the impact of these extreme climatic events on pasture-based dairy systems remain uncommon. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated Australia to be one of the most negatively impacted regions with additional studies estimating Australian production losses of around 16% in the agricultural sector and 9–19% between the present and 2050 in the south-eastern dairy regions of Australia due to climate change. Here we review the literature on the impact of climate change on pasture-based dairy systems with particular focus on extreme climatic events. We provide an insight into current methods for assessing and quantifying heat stress highlighting the impacts on pastures and animals including the associated potential productivity losses and conclude by outlining potential adaptation strategies for improving the resilience of the whole-farm systems to climate change. Adapting milking routines, calving systems and the introduction of heat stress tolerant dairy cow breeds are some proposed strategies. Changes in pasture production would also include alternative pasture species better adapted to climate extremes such as heat waves and prolonged periods of water deficit. In order to develop effective adaptation strategies we also need to focus on issues such as water availability, animal health and associated energy costs.

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