As climate change worsens, research from Nature Communications, suggest that burden of heat-induced labor changes would be unevenly distributed among employment industries, unfairly effecting those who work outside in low-wage jobs.

Researchers investigated the spatial patterns of climate change risks through 2050 in urban areas by combining hourly heat-stress data with exposure-response functions between heat exposure and labor productivity across 231 Chinese cities.

They found that urban heat stress could create significant labor losses that is equal to US$5.11-5.82 billion in additional losses per year by 2050. These losses are going to mainly effect low wage workers who have to work outside such as construction and manufacturing, thus worsening income inequality.

The authors also explored further of how various climate adaptation strategies can reduce such economic losses, and also income inequality.

“Plausible adaptation strategies include the adoption of green roofs and cool walls, which are found to be very efficient to lower the urban temperature,” said author, Yuqiang Zhang. “By examining these different adaptation strategies separately and together, we found that they could save $190-260 million annually, which would have the greatest benefit for construction and manufacturing industries.”

Quality leadership is needed to address climate change strategies to prevent worsening of already existing inequalities of urban areas.

C He et al. The inequality labor loss risk from future urban warming and adaptation strategies. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31145-2