El Niño would hit the productivity of Bogotá and Medellín the hardest

With the arrival of El Niño phenomenon nationally and internationally, the Colombian Security Council (CCS) assured that the country’s economy could face losses in labor productivity, estimated at more than $3.7 billion at the expense of this meteorological event.

under the 56 CCS Safety, Health and Environment Congressit was ensured that in periods of drought there is a decrease of 0.6% in the working hours of formal workers, based on a study carried out by the World Bank.

(Fertilizer prices fell 6.71% in May).

However, the great effects will be evident in informal workers, since their hours worked are reduced by 4.5% in these periods, which decreases their monthly income by 6.4%.

However, according to the CCS calculations, it was estimated that the informal employed population would stop perceiving $2.88 trillion, while the losses for the formal sector would be around $838,000 million.

For this reason, when making the comparison, The figure of more than $3.7 trillion is equivalent to approximately 0.25% of the national GDP and almost 20% of what the Government intends to collect with the tax reform.

(In the first half, producer costs fell 6.02%).

“It is worth mentioning that the cost for the informal sector is assumed by the worker himself, ceasing to receive that income or forcing him to work more hours a day to replace said losses. On the contrary, for the formal sector, this cost is assumed by the employer, by reducing the hours worked by its collaborators and/or having to assume the cost of overtime.”, the document says.

It should be noted that in the breakdown by cities, the losses at the geographical level would be $1.08 billion in Bogotá, followed by the city of Medellín with some $592,000 million. Likewise, Cali would face a lack of $386,000 million and Barranquilla about $343,000 million.

For his part, Adriana Solano Luque, Executive President of the Colombian Security Councilstated that the impact could be much greater, taking into account that the analysis did not contemplate the intermediate cities, small municipalities, urban centers and areas ruralyes where a large percentage of informal workers linked to agricultural activities are concentrated.

(Compañía Energética de Occidente will invest $335,000 million).

“The 6.4% reduction in labor income of informal workers during droughts is cause for concern, as it further hinders efforts to reduce poverty, especially in the current context”, said the executive.

According to data from the Council, some of the main causes of the decrease in hours worked are due to the increase in temperatures as a result of the El Niño phenomenon. Along the same lines, it is estimated that the informal sector is the most affected, taking into account that the workers carry out their work abroad.

(The consequences in the world of the record streak of hot days).

“This is due to heat stress that not only decreases the worker’s productivity, but also generates negative health effects, since prolonged presence in very hot environments can result in an excessive increase in body temperature and trigger emergencies.”, they affirm.

Likewise, it is ensured that there are sectors more affected than others. In this case, the report details what the activities of agriculture, environmental services, construction, waste collection, transport and tourismthe most affected and are also the ones that concentrate a “large proportion of informal labor”.

For its part, the formal sector tends to retain workers who carry out their work in closed spaces such as factories and offices, but they also face risks.if temperature conditions and levels are not adequately controlled”.

(The departments of the country with the greatest food insecurity).

Another of the reasons that are detailed in the document is the lack of availability of water or the rationing that are the product of droughts and that generate losses in the hours worked or even in employment.

The CCS cites the United Nations Organization (UN)where it is stated that at least three out of every four jobs in the world depend on the availability of water.

“Similarly, the low availability of water resources and, with it, the low level of the reservoirs, increases the number of electrical blackouts by 33%, which in turn directly impacts the productivity of companies.”, they indicate.

(EPM will assume the costs when the energy rate freeze ends).

In this way, it is worth remembering that in times of the El Niño phenomenon, forest fires come to impact large cities, For this reason, the consequences of these situations are the direct affectation on the health of the workers that impacts the hours worked.

This is because in some cases the clouds of smoke generate problems in the respiratory tract that can trigger the generation of new diseases or aggravate existing ones.

On the other hand, there is the increase in sea level, a fact that causes damage to the coastal infrastructure, interrupting the supply of raw materials, distribution of products and services and also “compromises the continuity of operations with a negative effect on productivity and job losses”.

(El Niño phenomenon: its effects and when they will be felt in Colombia).

Finally, as mentioned in the analysis of the Colombian Security Council It is detailed that according to the International Labor Organization (ILO), when the temperature exceeds 33 °C, with moderate work intensity, employees may lose up to 50% of their working capacity. “They can even die if the temperature exceeds 40.6 °C”.

El Niño phenomenon.

Alberto Urrego / WEATHER

According to the executive president of the Colombian Security Council, Adriana Solano, understanding the potential impacts of the arrival of El Niño will make it possible to generate timely actions for change in production processes, labor relations and commercial mechanisms. “Doing so is not only ethical, but also beneficial for productivity and the work environment.”, he assured.

Nahuel Arenas, Regional Head (ai) of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) for the Americas and the Caribbeansaid that it is essential to invest in risk reduction and adaptation measures.

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