ILO REPORT ON LABOUR (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Economy)

Context: The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) latest report, ‘Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate’, is an urgent call to ensure the future of labour is climate-proofed and to address the constantly evolving work environment as the planet warms.

Key Point of Report

• Identified Hazards: The ILO has recognized six primary impacts of climate change: excessive heat, solar ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather events, workplace air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and agrochemicals.
• Most Affected Occupational Groups: The ILO highlights agriculture workers, construction sector workers, conservancy workers in urban areas, and those in transport and tourism as the most affected by climate change impacts.
• Vulnerability of Gig Economy Workers: The growing gig economy, including ride-hailing drivers, delivery personnel, and home repair workers, is highly susceptible to heat-related hazards due to the nature of their work.
• Gig Employment: India's gig economy, comprising various sectors like transportation, delivery, and services, is rapidly expanding, projected to reach 4.5% of the workforce by 2030 according to a Nasscom study.

Which sectors are affected?

• Indian Agriculture:

o Nearly 90% of Indian farmers own less than two hectares of land, as per NSSO data of July 2018-June 2019.

• MSME Sector in India:

o India's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector employs around 21% of the country's workforce.

o This sector comprises approximately 64 million enterprises.

o India's MSME sector is second in size only to China's.

Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate

• About: This report presents critical evidence related to the impacts of climate change on OSH, to bring attention to the global health threat workers are currently facing.
• The report addresses the following key issues:

o Excessive heat, Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, Extreme weather events, Workplace air pollution, Vector-borne diseases and Agrochemicals