"Migrant Workers Endure Extreme Heat in Preparation for COP28 in UAE"
As preparations for COP28, the United Nations climate talks, unfold in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a human rights research and advocacy group, FairSquare, has uncovered evidence of migrant workers toiling in hazardous conditions. Over a dozen migrants from Africa and Asia were found working outdoors at three COP28 sites in Dubai in early September, where temperatures soared to 42°C (107°F), despite a UAE law banning outdoor work during the hottest hours over the summer months. This "midday ban" is intended to protect outdoor workers from the dangers of extreme heat exposure that can be fatal.
Migrant workers constitute around 90% of the UAE's private sector workforce and carry out the majority of manual labor in the country, including preparations for COP28. The findings of this investigation add to a growing body of evidence highlighting the perilous working conditions endured by migrant workers in the Gulf region, who are often under a sponsorship system controlled by their employers.
The exposure of migrant workers to extreme heat while setting up facilities for a major climate summit highlights the irony of the situation. The UAE is the seventh largest oil producer globally, and this year's UN climate talks, presided over by Sultan al-Jaber, come in the wake of record-breaking temperatures, devastating wildfires, droughts, floods, and storms worldwide.
The plight of migrant workers in the Gulf region amid climate change discussions represents a glaring case of climate injustice. The report has drawn attention from various human rights and climate organizations, emphasizing the need to address climate injustices that occur when laws are not enforced and rights are not respected.
While the UAE has a summer work ban in place, it permits outdoor work in direct sunlight for only 233 hours a year, a fraction of the restrictions in other Gulf states. Trade unions remain illegal, and the Kafala sponsorship system grants employers significant control over the lives and visas of migrant workers.
The FairSquare report includes photographs and testimonies from migrant workers laboring at Expo City, Dubai's premier conference facility adapted for COP28. These sites are located within or near the "blue zone," where world leaders and diplomats will convene. Workers appear to be handling heavy items and working on scaffolding, often in the scorching sun.
The situation highlights the complex issues surrounding climate change, migration, and the reliance on migrant labor in the Gulf region. Addressing human rights violations while hosting international climate talks is a priority and should not be overshadowed by the UN's commitment to multilateral diplomacy.
In response, a COP28 spokesperson stated that contractors are required to have worker heat safety plans and weather stations that monitor heat stress factors. They expressed confidence in Expo City Dubai's worker welfare policies and procedures.
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