1. EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON EMPLOYMENT
By Rebecca Okello Abongo
Central Organisation of Trade Unions-Kenya

2. INTRODUCTION.
Climate change is having significant impact on Africa, and its effects are set to get worse.
Africa’s contribution to the GHGs is negligible, but it is facing – and will increasingly face - severe effects from climate change and its impacts as a result of its low adaptation capacity.
According to IPCC the continent is to suffer, with a high degree of certainty, from climate change induced food insecurity, water stress, ecosystem service disruptions, coastal inundation and a spread of disease vectors.
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3. What is climate change?
Climate Change = Any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period of time (typically more than 10 years)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines Climate Change as ‘a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere’
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4. Effects of climate change
Climate change is brought about by two major sources
Natural causes
The earths climate varies naturally as a result of the intention between oceans and the atmosphere, change on the earths orbit, fluctuations in energy received from the sun and volcanic eruptions.
Human causes
The main human influence on global climate thus deforestation, burning of fossil fuel, urbanisation,
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5. GHGs GHG Less infrared radiation (heat) escapes to space
Higher levels of GHGs trap more heat in atmosphere, leading to temperature increases
Less infrared radiation (heat) escapes to space
GHG

6. What human activity generate greenhouse gases
Industrial Sources
Land Use Sources
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
fossil fuel combustion and cement manufacturing
Deforestation and burning of forests
Methane (CH4)
Landfills, coal mining, natural gas production
Conversion of wetlands
Rice paddies
Livestock production
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Fossil fuel combustion Nitric acid production
Fertilizer use
Burning of biomass
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Industrial processes
Manufacturing
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Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
Electrical transmission and distribution systems
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7. How rapidly are green house gases concentration rising
Start Industrial
era
CO2 levels are the highest in last 650,000 years
In the last 50 yrs., CO2 levels have grown more rapidly than ever before
CO2 levels are increasing ppm/yr
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8. Central organisation of trade union
Effects of Climate Change
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9. Stronger storms Heavy rains Severe droughts and heat waves
statistics from IPCC physical science of climate change, 2007 (
Greater frequency of:
Heat waves
Heavy precipitation events
Tropical Cyclones in North Atlantic
Strong storms
Rising intensity of storms, forest fires, droughts, flooding, heat waves

10. Decreasing snow cover and melting glaciers
Kilimanjaro 1993
Kilimanjaro 2000
82% of Mt. Kilimanjaro’s glacier has disappeared since first surveyed in 1912
Another sign of climate change is that worldwide, snow cover is melting and glaciers are retreating.
The graph on the left shows the change in area of land (in millions of km) globally that is under snow cover- and it is clear that this area has declined significantly in recent years.
In addition to losses in snow cover, glaciers are melting in almost all regions of the world- often at a very alarming rate.
For example, Moutn Kilimanjaro in Kenya has lost almost 82% of its glacier, and much of this melting has occurred in the last decade (as seen in the photo above).
left graphic (Image by NASA of Kilimanjaro's rapidly melting glacier. 82% of it has disappeared since it was first surveyed back in The image shows the difference in only seven years. ) (
right graphic (
Mountain glaciers and snow cover have declined
The Arctic provides a striking illustration of the impacts of climate change on people and places. Sea ice has shrunk substantially, and coastal ice melts three weeks earlier than it did just 30 years ago. The area of sea lost since 1979 is greater than California, Texas and Maryland combined.
The bald truth is that Earth’s polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate. The cause? Global climate change.
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11. Rising sea level
Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion and melting glaciers and ice caps
Average global sea levels have risen 17 cm during 20th century and may rise cm by 2100
Across the world, the warming tempratures are melting glaciers and causing sea water to expand, resulting in increases in the overall sea level.
IN the last 100 years, global sea levels have risn an average of 17 cm, and are projected to rise by 2100.
From 1961 to 1993, sea levels rose at a rate of 1.8 mm/yr; and since 1993 at a rate of 3.1 mm/ya
Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion and melting glaciers and icecaps
These rising seas level pose risk to people and ecosystems living in coastal areas and low-lying islands
Another sign of climate change are the rising sea levels.
(island info – UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, 2007, UN NY)
(graph and text to right)
put in “Trends in sea level, 1870 – 2006
sea levels have risen 17 cm during 20th century
projected to rise cm by end of 21st century
graph of sea level in se usa (
Sea levels are rising due to a combination of :
thermal expansion (water expands as it gets hotter)
Glaciers melting
Greenland ice sheet melting
Antartic ice sheet melting
Rate of sea level rise is increasing: from , sea levels rose an average of 0.4 mm/yr’ from 1993 to 2003, sea levels have risen 1.6 mm/yr (
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12. How are climate change impacts distributed across countries, regions and sectors?
The impacts of climate change are unevenly distributed across regions, economic sectors and society. The highest impacts will be felt by:
The working poor, those working in the informal economy, seasonal and casual workers, the self-employed, micro and small sized enterprises;
The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) due to high vulnerability and low adaptive capacity;
Sectors most dependent on natural resources and climate such as energy, water, agriculture and food production, tourism, transport, public services and industries.

13. Effects of climate change on employment
The negative impacts on employment will be the result of extreme weather events such as droughts, cyclones and/or floods, thus
Job losses
In urban labour markets due to greater incidence of extreme weather events and resulting worker displacement and damage to business assets, transport and industrial infrastructure, and settlements;
In rural labour markets due to a greater incidence of heavy precipitation and/or extreme heat and resulting damage to agricultural crops.
Impacts on business assets and business interruptions due to weather damage or disruption of private and public infrastructure, such as buildings, machinery, production sites, raw materials and supply chains.
Impacts on working conditions and occupational safety and health affecting labour productivity.
For instance, heat stress in workers due to rising temperatures results in loss of working hours and days.
Forced short-term and long-term migration due to income reduction, job losses and uninhabitable environment as a result of environmental risks and abrupt extreme weather events.

14. Effects of climate change on employment
In Africa, climate change will affect agricultural production through increased water stress, reduced farming areas and decreased yield potential.
Jobs in the rural areas will be affected, not only through the direct reduction in agricultural production but also through indirect effects in rural economies such as the knock-on effect on the processing sector and non-agriculture-related commerce which depends on the revenues of agriculture (i.e. small shops in rural communities).

15. What are the employment effects of transitioning to a low-carbon economy?
Climate action and the transition to low-carbon economies will affect employment in several ways:
Jobs will be created in new emerging green sectors, such as renewable energies where the demand for goods and services is expanding;
Certain jobs will be eliminated without direct replacement, for example, through banning or discouraging the use of a particular processing methods or resources especially in energy-intensive and polluting industries;
Certain jobs will be substituted as a consequence of industrial transformation. For example, jobs in waste incineration plants will be substituted with jobs in recycling facilities;
The majority of existing jobs will be transformed and redefined in terms of their profile requirements and working methods i.e. plumbers and architects in the adoption of more environmentally friendly practices such as efficiency improvements.

16. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
What can we do?
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
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17. What is mitigation and adaptation
Along with adaptation, mitigation is one of the two central approaches in the international climate change process. Mitigation involves human interventions to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by sources or enhance their removal from the atmosphere by “sinks”. A “sink” refers to forests, vegetation or soils that can reabsorb CO2.
Adaptation (coping with climate change) is the adjustment of natural or human system in response to actual or expected changes in the climate, with the aim of allowing them to benefit from potential opportunities while minimizing threats.
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18. Options for mitigating climate change
Increasing carbon sinks
Avoiding reducing sinks
Reducing emissions from productive activities
Bioenergy and biofuels
Tree Planting
-tree survival?
Sustainable Agricultural practices
Protected
forests
Mitigation Activities

19. Climate change adaptation
Drought resistant crops
Soil conservation
Sustainable water management
Preservation and diversification of seeds for crops
Sustainable water harvesting
Food security programs
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20. What are the employment opportunities of mitigating climate change?
Mitigation strategies aim to limit or reduce the magnitude of long term climate change, primarily by reducing or preventing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG).
Mitigation strategies have significant potential to create new employment by:
Stimulating investment and innovation in new green products and services that are more environmentally friendly and low-carbon. This also enables enterprises to access new markets and offers them a comparative advantage and for new enterprises to emerge. 
Improvements in energy and raw material efficiency at enterprise level. The greening of workplace practices can reduce the amount of resources needed for production; lower the amount of waste generated, and thereby save energy costs.

21. What are the employment opportunities of adapting to climate change?
Adaptation strategies aim to minimize the negative effects of climate change on societies and economies and take advantage of any related opportunities.
Adaptation measures offer opportunities for job creation and climate resilient communities, including through:
Relocation of exposed settlements and industry
Establishment of coastal defences
Reinforcement of buildings and infrastructure;
Construction of new climate resistant infrastructure
Transfer of new climate friendly technology

22. Conclusion
Addressing environmental concerns, including climate change challenges, will involve bringing about a series of transformations in economic and social development policies, and in production and consumption patterns.
A transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy needs to be well managed and contribute to the goals of decent work for all and the eradication of poverty.