Caribbean Faces Jobs, Tourism and Agriculture Risks as El Niño Threatens Livelihoods

• The 2026-2027 El Niño could affect jobs and livelihoods across the Caribbean, with agriculture, fisheries and tourism among the sectors most exposed to the climate phenomenon, according to a new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
• El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. It can disrupt global weather patterns, bringing drought, heatwaves or excessive rainfall to different regions.
• The ILO says the Caribbean is among the regions expected to experience drought, water shortages and heatwaves during the 2026-2027 El Niño, putting agriculture, fisheries and tourism at particular risk.
• In a policy brief examining the likely labour impacts of El Niño across Latin America and the Caribbean, the ILO said the 2026-2027 event could reduce employment, lower incomes and worsen working conditions, particularly for informal workers, rural communities and people who work outdoors.
• The ILO also cautions that the effects of El Niño could extend beyond the workplace, contributing to food insecurity, higher food and energy prices, reduced productivity and an increased risk of child labour as vulnerable households struggle to cope. These pressures could be especially severe in the Caribbean, where high levels of informal employment leave many workers without access to social protection and other support mechanisms that help people recover from climate-related shocks.
• The ILO says the impacts are not inevitable, stressing that governments can reduce the risks by strengthening social protection, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, improving occupational safety and health, expanding early warning systems and promoting social dialogue.

(Source: Barbados Today)