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 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.
The study shows that the impact of heat stress is already being felt across Ghana’s economy. In 2023, rising workplace heat linked to climate change resulted in the equivalent of more than 345,000 additional full-time jobs lost compared with the historical baseline.
Agriculture accounted for around two-thirds of those losses, reflecting the sector’s high exposure to outdoor work and physically demanding activities.
However, the effects extend beyond farms and construction sites. Manufacturing, transport, trade and services, as well as businesses operating in the informal economy, are also exposed to reduced productivity as temperatures rise.
Across Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal, reduced working time caused by heat stress could amount to the equivalent of about 2.46 million full-time jobs by 2040 under a low-emissions pathway. Ethiopia is projected to account for about 1.78 million of those losses, Ghana 550,000 and Senegal 129,000.
Combined annual GDP losses across the three countries could reach approximately US$67 billion by 2040, including US$33.3 billion in Ethiopia, US$23.2 billion in Ghana and US$10.5 billion in Senegal.
“These findings make clear that heat stress is not only an environmental issue. It is already a jobs, health and economic issue,” said Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa, ILO Regional Director for Africa.
“Governments, employers and workers need to act together, combining stronger occupational safety and health measures with social protection, climate adaptation and economic planning.”
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 organisation also called for stronger workplace heat monitoring, occupational safety standards and greater awareness of the symptoms and risks associated with heat stress.
Kayirangwa said protecting workers must increasingly form part of economic and climate adaptation planning.
“Protecting people from heat means protecting livelihoods, enterprises and the resilience of our economies,” she said.
The findings also highlight particular concerns for Ghana’s large informal economy, where many workers may be unable to reduce working hours during extreme heat without losing income. The ILO said stronger social protection measures and dialogue between governments, employers and workers would be important in developing practical responses.
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.
The research combines climate projections, labour market data and economic modelling to assess how rising temperatures are affecting productivity, employment and national economies.
