Training session of the trade union front for climate action (FSAC)
Organization: Frente Sindical de Accion Climatica
The FSAC kicked off the year by setting the trade union agenda on climate issues. A new training program was presented: Strengthening Trade Union Leaders for Climate Action and Skills Development for a Sustainable Future, within the framework of the Democracy at Work project by FORGE and Fundación Avina. The initiative was carried out with a carbon-neutral approach and involved a new generation of union leaders, various civil society actors, and an environmental consulting firm.
Key figures from the union and environmental sectors took part in the training, including Lic. Sol Klas (National Secretary for Environment and Sustainable Development of APOC and FSAC President), Dr. Gerardo Juara (Secretary of Ecology at AGOEC, the Environmental Workers’ Union), Captain Mario Moreno (General Secretary of the Center of River and Maritime Officers), Dr. Enrique Lorenzo (General Secretary of SITRACAR), and other union representatives.
The event, held at APOC with around 60 participants, received support from several foundations such as FES, CEDHA, and Fundación Avina, which played a key role in developing the training project.
Among last year’s accomplishments and challenges is the FSAC's participation in the Biodiversity COP, where it presented a Labor Risk Matrix Linked to Biodiversity and Climate Change, https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8285264/MatrizdeRiesgos, developed by FSAC in collaboration with Public Services International and published with support from Avina.
This is a practical tool created in 2024 by FSAC to diagnose the risks workers face due to climate change, including thermal stress, biological hazards, natural disasters, and environmental pollution.
The tool emerged from the need to fill a significant gap in understanding labor risks associated with climate change. It is designed to help identify risks and assess their impact on workers’ health and safety, enabling the development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies that ensure their well-being and the continuity of operations.
Such a diagnostic helps identify specific risks in each sector and allows unions to design targeted occupational safety policies to better protect workers’ health and safety.
The model was validated with members of the SINTRAMBIENTE public services union in Colombia as part of the project “Strengthening Public Services and Finances for a Just and Equitable Transition” by Public Services International.
Carrying out a diagnosis is the first step in identifying and evaluating occupational risks that climate change may pose to workers. From there, the model could be expanded to other critical areas such as water management, energy generation and transport, and education. These sectors face similar labor challenges stemming from extreme weather conditions and exposure to risk factors like excessive heat and environmental pollution.
The Occupational Climate Risk Diagnostic aims to identify and assess labor risks related to climate change, allowing the development of protocols, control systems, and budgets for response and adaptation.
Examples of risks include:
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Hurricanes, severe storms, floods, and prolonged droughts: disruption of work activities, increase in water- and vector-borne diseases, infrastructure damage (transport, energy, production, etc.).
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Wildfires: threat to critical infrastructure and property, increase in harmful particles and gases, respiratory illness, burns.
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Earthquakes, landslides: physical injuries, property damage, respiratory illnesses, allergies, cardiovascular problems.
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Expansion of diseases: dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika, and malaria due to shifting climate patterns.
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Extreme temperatures: burns, injuries, eye damage, dehydration, hypothermia.
The variables included in the Occupational Climate Risk Diagnostic Matrix are:
Thermal stress
This type of risk can result from exposure to extreme temperatures beyond the body’s tolerance levels, increasing the risk of harm.
“The rise in heat levels caused by climate change threatens progress toward decent work by deteriorating working conditions and undermining workers’ safety, health, and well-being, as well as reducing productivity, which is closely linked to living standards.”
Local evidence is crucial to internalize global climate risks, respond to workers’ specific realities, and design more effective and tailored occupational safety policies.
“Rising temperatures generate health risks for workers, so it is essential to identify these risks, assess them, and adopt the necessary preventive measures. It is advisable for collective agreements to include clauses related to these risks.”
According to a Climate Central report, 78% of the world’s population, about 6.8 billion people, experienced at least 31 days of extreme heat in the 12 months ending in May 2024. Heat waves are expected to cause approximately 1.6 million deaths by 2050, according to a World Economic Forum report from January 2024, which also estimates that droughts will cause 3.2 million deaths by 2050.
The workers most vulnerable to extreme heat are those active in sectors such as agriculture, environmental services (natural resource management), construction, waste collection, emergency repairs, transportation, tourism, and sports. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) states that extreme weather and changing weather patterns are affecting workers’ health and occupational safety. Additionally, exposure to direct solar radiation can cause skin damage, premature aging, and even increase the risk of skin cancer. Other effects include heatstroke, eye problems, and dehydration. Outdoor workers—such as those in construction, agriculture, lifeguards, utility company staff, gardeners, postal workers, and port workers—are at highest risk.
Projections indicate that the impact of heat stress will intensify in the future. Specifically, in 2030, an estimated 0.6% of total working hours will be lost due to heat stress—equivalent to approximately 2.9 million full-time jobs.
Cold weather also presents a challenge in addressing extreme temperatures at work. When temperatures drop below –10°C, there is a risk of hypothermia or frostbite if outdoor exposure continues for extended periods without adequate protection.
The ILO’s Policy Guidelines for a Just Transition emphasize the importance of international labor standards and social dialogue in addressing the challenges posed by rising temperatures. They recognize that effective occupational safety and health systems require cooperation among governments, employers, and workers.
Biological Risk
Biological risk refers to any microorganism, cell, or other organic material—plant, animal, human, or genetically modified—that may be harmful to human health. Biological hazards in the workplace include disease vectors or carriers. These encompass a wide range of agents such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and toxins that can cause infections, allergies, and other issues.
In the workplace, biological hazards include insects, rodents, and other animals that may carry and spread pathogens. Health impacts may involve infectious and noninfectious diseases, as well as physical injuries. Exposure can occur in any work involving contact with people, human-origin products, animals, biological waste, plants, or food. Climate change has been associated with an increased risk of vector-borne diseases for workers and of heightened vector populations, survival rates, ecosystem degradation, and encroachment into human systems.
Risk management systems must follow a continuous improvement model: planning, implementation, review, and enhancement of processes.
Natural Disasters
Due to shifts in global weather patterns, natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity, affecting communities and ecosystems worldwide. These include earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, and extreme weather events such as severe storms, prolonged droughts, hurricanes, and floods.
The intensification of these events presents significant adaptation and mitigation challenges for climate change, requiring coordinated actions among stakeholders at all levels.
Biological threats may include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions, DNA materials, body fluids, and any other microorganisms, toxins, or allergens. Health impacts may range from infectious to noninfectious diseases and physical injuries.
Risks Associated with Air, Noise, Water & Soil Pollution
Exposure to pollution poses considerable risks to workers’ physical and mental health. Potential outcomes include respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal diseases, as well as stress, fatigue, and headaches.
“Chemicals present a wide range of potentially adverse effects, from health hazards such as carcinogenicity and physical hazards such as flammability, to environmental hazards like widespread contamination and aquatic toxicity. Many fires, explosions, and other disasters stem from inadequate control of these physical risks.”
Air pollution and smog episodes may cause both immediate health threats and long-term cumulative effects. A study published in 2023 in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene highlighted that rising levels of atmospheric pollutants due to climate change disproportionately affect outdoor workers, who are increasingly exposed to PM2.5, ozone, and allergenic agents. The study further showed higher rates of climate-related illness and mortality among workers.
According to a joint 2021 WHO/ILO estimate, more than 770,000 deaths annually can be attributed to occupational exposure to air pollutants. All sectors are affected to varying degrees, making a prevention and risk mitigation approach essential.
Diagnostic Matrix Tool
From the above information, a diagnostic matrix was designed. It consists of a questionnaire to survey environmental workplace conditions and available resources. Developing and applying this diagnostic tool requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach.
Combining scientific knowledge and local expertise allows assessment of risks and implementation of measures to protect workers’ health and safety in the face of current challenges. This adaptable tool enables unions to effectively manage climate-related occupational risks across different sectors. The matrix evaluates four variables:
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thermal stress,
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biological risk,
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pollution exposure (soil/noise/water/air),
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natural disasters.
Without proper controls, workers could face increased risks of injuries, diseases, and death due to heat stress, extreme weather events, exposure to hazardous chemicals, air pollution, and infectious diseases. Climate change has been linked to numerous health effects in workers—injuries, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and psychosocial impacts. There has been an increase in estimated deaths among working-age populations globally due to heat exposure.
Survey & Union Response
The diagnostic survey includes questions related to the four described variables. Based on survey results and union participation analysis, areas will be identified for enhancing worker protection. Recommendations may include collective bargaining clauses to ensure equitable access to protective resources, improved training processes, and inclusion of climate risks in union governance.
International Participation
Two FSAC leaders participated in COP29 of the UNFCCC in Baku alongside the ITUC/CSI.
They addressed challenges including negotiations over the just transition work program and finance, as well as green jobs and labor rights. Notably, union representation was minimal—only about 100 trade unionists among 67,000 delegates.
Strategic union actions proposed include strengthening internal capacities and increasing regional representation in international forums.
Legislative Advocacy Actions
In 2024, FSAC and Fundación CEDHA presented a Methane Emissions in Hydrocarbons Bill. Key points include:
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emission reductions across the production chain
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use of best available technologies in Argentina
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incentives for companies investing in mitigation
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access to information for workers and communities
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emission reduction targets through 2050
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guarantees that the energy transition will not affect employment, promoting workforce training
The bill is under legislative consideration and expected to be approved in 2025.
Public Advocacy Actions
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FSAC submitted an Amicus Curiae to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on strategic litigation and climate crisis. Only ITUC/CSI and FSAC were the two trade union organizations involved. https://fsac.org.ar/amicus-curiae/
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Contributions to the Escazú Agreement emphasized the protection of environmental defenders and workers reporting violations.
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Negotiations at the ILO to include environmental principles in labor standards and participation in drafting Decent Work Guidelines in recycling.
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Relevant cases include the inland waterway and fisheries sector: the General Secretary of the Shipmasters’ Union presented the impact of climate change on the Paraná Waterway and alerts about desertification and severe drought. FSAC requested information about deepening the channel to 44 feet, reinforcing the need for union action on climate and participation in environmental and labor decision-making.
April 2025 Engagements
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FSAC participated with the ILO in an experts’ meeting on decent work practices in the recycling industry. Dr. Gerardo Juara of AGOEC and FSAC spoke on building a global agenda on recycling and decent work for the first time. https://fsac.org.ar/oit-reunion-de-expertos-por-las-practicas-sobre-la-promocion-del-trabajo-decente-en-la-industria-del-reciclaje/
In April 2025, FSAC participated in the São Paulo Human Rights and Business Forum on a panel about critical minerals, sponsored by AVINA. https://fsac.org.ar/el-ix-foro-regional-marcara-un-debate-clave-sobre-minerales-criticos-y-derechos-humanos/