Ghana could lose the equivalent of about 550,000 full-time jobs to workplace heat stress by 2040, with annual economic losses projected to reach US$23.2 billion, according to a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The study shows that the impact of heat stress is already being felt across Ghana’s economy, with agriculture accounting for around two-thirds of job losses in 2023, and other sectors like manufacturing, transport, trade and services also exposed to reduced productivity.
The findings form part of an ILO research initiative examining the effects of rising temperatures on workers, productivity and national economies in Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal, with combined annual GDP losses across the three countries projected to reach approximately US$67 billion by 2040.
Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa, ILO Regional Director for Africa, said that heat stress is not only an environmental issue, but also a jobs, health and economic issue, and that governments, employers and workers need to act together to reduce workers’ exposure to extreme heat.
The ILO said practical measures could help reduce workers’ exposure to extreme heat, including adjusting working hours to avoid the hottest periods of the day, introducing work-rest cycles and providing shade, hydration and cooling facilities.
The Ghana study is part of a six-country research initiative supported by the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the Vulnerable 20 Finance Ministers, covering Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Lebanon, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and combining climate projections, labour market data and economic modelling to assess how rising temperatures are affecting productivity, employment and national economies.