Building a climate resilient workforce in Southern Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23312520 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Steven Jerie (Midlands State University), Pascal Manyakaidze (0000-0003-0355-4239, Midlands State University), Takunda Shabani (Midlands State University, corresponding author), Tapiwa Shabani (Midlands State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-21 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Discover Global Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2731-9687 • E-ISSN: 2731-9687 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s44282-026-00508-1 |
| OpenAlex | W7169871826 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 52 |
Global workforces are experiencing an increase in occupational dangers due to climate change. Southern Africa has a distinct vulnerability profile due to its high level of informal employment and substantial reliance on climate-sensitive industries. There are significant gaps in the understanding of how climate stressors impact employee productivity, safety, and the pillars of decent work in Southern Africa because the majority of previous research has concentrated on environmental effects. The review paper synthesizes evidence of occupational risks induced by climate, health effects, and adaptation strategies as well as their limitations in work sectors of Southern Africa. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed by the review. English literature published between 2015 and 2025 was searched from four databases, including Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus. The literature was screened following the inclusion and exclusion criteria and synthesized thematically. Disaster management, informal work, tourism, fisheries, construction, mining, and agriculture sectors face worsening flooding, heat stress, mental health challenges, and vector-borne diseases. Certain temperature thresholds cause productivity to drop, yet informal laborers are not equipped with safety gear. Adaptation is still not systematic, but rather reactive and engineering-focused. Resource scarcity, inadequate enforcement of regulations, and limited worker understanding of climate-related risks are major obstacles. All pillars of ILO Decent Work are undermined by climate change. However, labour polices in Southern Africa are limited in terms of addressing that. Inadequate safety measures and growing occupational climate dangers in Southern Africa represent a serious gap. There is a need for worker-centered mandated policies, climate labor regulations, and social protection integration.
Climate change · Climate risk · Enforcement · Inclusion (mineral) · Informal sector · Occupational safety and health · Productivity · Vulnerability (computing) · Work (physics) · Workforce · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Climate Change and Sustainable Development · COVID-19 impact on air quality
International Labour Organization and Global Social Governance
A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation, and sustainable mitigation measures
A global assessment of actors and their roles in climate change adaptation
The impact of weather shocks on employment outcomes
Climate Change and Impacts of Extreme Events on Human Health
Climate change impacts on working people (the Hothaps initiative)
Winter Weather-Related Crashes during the Commute to Work
The social construction of systemic risk
Climate change vulnerability and adaptation of crop producers in sub-Saharan Africa
The mitigating effects of economic complexity and renewable energy on carbon emissions in developed countries
Power and politics in climate change adaptation efforts
| Highly cited | No |
|---|