The impact of climate change has escalated globally, with an estimated 2.8 trillion US dollars in global loss and damage from 2000 to 2019, according to a 2023 study cited by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Southeast Asia, one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change impacts, has seen a surge in extreme weather events in recent years. This year, four powerful storm systems, including Super Typhoon Man-Yi, battered the Philippines in just ten days. Strong typhoons also recently hit Thailand, Viet Nam, and Myanmar, causing floods and landslides and displacing thousands. In previous years, scorching and dry weather in parts of the region disrupted the livelihoods of affected communities. These climate change-related disasters cause significant death and destruction, impacting workers' incomes, productivity, and livelihoods. The region is foreseen to suffer the most losses in GDP due to the exacerbating effects of climate change on agriculture (UNESCAP, 2023).
Supporting workers affected by climate change
Climate change-related disasters, whether sudden or slow onset, affect the dynamics of human mobility. According to a 2022 Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) study, over 69 million people were displaced from 2011 to 2021 in the ASEAN region. This displacement has likely spurred internal and cross-border migration, with people seeking safety and viable livelihoods elsewhere. Workers in climate-vulnerable sectors who risk losing their jobs may explore new income opportunities in other countries. The recently published ASEAN Migration Outlook’s 2nd edition provides an in-depth analysis of the nexus of climate change and human mobility in ASEAN and offers recommendations for national and collective action at the regional level.
Building climate resilience of communities and workers, including informal economy and migrant workers, is essential in supporting their ability to sustain income through adaptation of livelihoods or new employment opportunities. Strengthening resilience also requires helping workers feel secure even in the face of uncertainty. In this regard, lifelong learning opportunities should be embedded in the education and training systems to ensure that the region’s workforce continues to be upskilled or reskilled. Comprehensive access to social protection is also crucial in building climate resilience despite the informality of employment of the majority of workers in Southeast Asia. For those in overseas employment, migrant workers’ access to social security benefits during emergencies and upon return home is fundamental.
Safety in the context of climate-induced human mobility is also paramount, a principle that is upheld in the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (2017). The ASEAN Guidelines on Protection of Migrant Workers and Family Members in Crisis Situations (2023) stipulates the responsibilities of both sending and receiving states in ensuring safety at any stage of the migration cycle and preventing forced migration in emergency situations due to climate change and other crises. The guidelines likewise provide for strong engagement of the private sector, civil society, and migrant worker communities.
Potential job opportunities in the green transition
ASEAN has been cooperating across various sectors to effectively mitigate climate change, recognising its profound impacts on all aspects of life—from the environment, agriculture, and fishing, to vulnerable rural communities and groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities. The ASEAN Leaders also called for action towards clean energy and an eco-friendly region, underscoring the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing climate-resilient development (ASEAN, 2021). ASEAN has also made commitments to net zero strategies and shifted priorities for more significant investments in decarbonising and greener technologies adopted by many countries in the region.
The International Labour Organization (ILO, 2019) projected that by 2030, the transition to energy sustainability would lead to seven million jobs lost, of which five million are relocatable, while potentially creating 25 million new jobs. Looking beyond job losses, this projection shows that the green transition presents vast opportunities that could be seized by preparing human resources to be ready and resilient. The Study on Green Jobs Policy Readiness in ASEAN (2021) made the same observation and recommended that human resources development in ASEAN be cognisant of the priorities of the green economy, especially those in several climate-vulnerable sectors. It likewise highlighted that having more green jobs and green skills in the region would contribute to environmental conservation.
Through the ASEAN Framework for Circular Economy for the ASEAN Economic Community (2021), the region is opening new opportunities in recycling, resource management, and green technology sectors. These sectors are expected to provide alternative jobs for people affected by environmental changes. In the ASEAN Declaration on Promoting Green Jobs for Equity and Inclusive Growth of the ASEAN Community (2018), Member States acknowledged that the global and regional environmental impacts had paved the way for the emergence of green jobs. The commitment to create green jobs and promote green skills was affirmed in this declaration. The ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work (2020) also articulates a commitment to enhance educational systems to promote green skills.
While the regional and national commitments are already in place, ASEAN needs to conduct more studies and gather more data on climate change implications on employment and labour migration in our region. Such knowledge would lead to the cohesiveness of climate adaptation, human resources development and social protection strategies in the region.
