Ministry of Climate Change and Environment assesses adaptation to climate change in UAE
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Health experts concluded that the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health in the UAE are primarily seen in the form of heat stress. This results in reduced labor productivity, particularly for outdoor laborers, and mortality or morbidity due to heat stroke.
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Another finding is that despite the existence of adaptation-related initiatives for climate risks, there is still a lot of room for more climate-focused adaptation policies and programs. Health experts proposed multiple actions to help address high and medium risks. Proposed actions include enhancing early warning systems and developing heat alert plans, especially for outdoor laborers during extreme heat events, and developing the capacity of clinics and health stations to recognize and respond to labor concerns on reduced productivity due to climate-related factors.
Furthermore, they recommended that more research needs to be undertaken on the effects of climate change on labor productivity, in addition to strengthening enforcement of existing initiatives such as the Safety in Heat and midday break programs. They also suggested enhancing monitoring and evaluation to objectively assess results, and mainstream climate change adaptation through reorienting existing programs on environmental health and occupational safety to better highlight their adaptation components.
To reduce climate change impacts and pave the way for green economic diversification, the UAE has adopted various policies at the federal and emirate levels to facilitate the transition from a hydrocarbon-dependent economy to a sustainable knowledge-based economy in line with the UAE Vision 2021.
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