Hosted at the scenic and historic Catto Center in Aspen, Colorado, the Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) convened the workshop, Protecting Workers in the Face of Climate Change at the Policy & Research Nexus, from November 10–15, 2024. Co-chaired by Lee Newman, MD, MA, Miranda Dally, DrPH, MS, and Lili Tenney, DrPH, MPH, from the Centers for Health, Work & Environment, the event brought together global experts in public health, climate science, policy, economics, government, and advocacy to address the escalating impacts of climate on worker health and safety. The event included presentations, interactive breakout sessions, and action planning to bridge the gap between science and policy.
“This workshop was four years in the making,” said Miranda Dally, workshop co-chair and assistant research professor. “To see it come to life and result in diverse and rich discussions, new collaborations, and action steps to continue to protect workers from climate change was very rewarding for our team.”
Across the five days, participants discussed critical questions about gaps in research, data approaches, communications and worker health, including key highlights across:
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Understanding Climate Impacts on Worker Health
Experts highlighted global vulnerabilities, especially in the agriculture, construction, and transportation sectors. Discussions underscored the need for research into the combined effects of heat, pollutants, and mental health stressors on worker populations.
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Policy Innovation
Sessions explored international and U.S.-based regulatory frameworks, including innovative state-level case studies such as California's heat policy. Participants identified gaps in protections and emphasized the need for equitable policies that address marginalized worker communities.
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Mitigation Strategies and Employer Roles
Strategies for employers included implementing climate adaptation measures without compromising productivity or safety. Case studies from Colorado, Mexico, and Florida showcased collaborative solutions addressing heat and health risks in vulnerable worker populations.
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Advancing Research and Data Sharing
Calls for standardized methodologies and better data-sharing practices were echoed throughout. Researchers advocated for prospective studies on acclimatization and the physiological effects of extreme heat on diverse worker populations.
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Building Alliances for Climate Action
The workshop emphasized fostering collaborations between policymakers, employers, unions, and researchers. Attendees brainstormed strategies to engage stakeholders through communication, education, and joint advocacy efforts.
The Walter Orr Roberts Memorial Public Lecture, Protecting Outdoor Workers: Solutions for Extreme Heat Exposure, delivered by Roxana Chicas, PhD, RN, brought these critical discussions to light through the voice of workers, underscoring actionable solutions and ongoing challenges in addressing climate-related worker health risks.
“Our goal was that by the end of the week we collectively identified the priorities for addressing the most critical climate impacts facing workers today and in the future,” said Dally. “The amount of work that we need to do to find solutions across policy, research, training and practice, will not be simple. We will need to continue the transdisciplinary engagement AGCI facilitated.”
Participants developed action plans to:
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Close policy gaps at all levels, from federal to workplace settings.
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Build workforce capacity through targeted training on climate and health intersections.
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Enhance international cooperation to ensure global relevance of solutions.
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Prioritize equitable strategies for underserved and high-risk worker communities.
This gathering was not just a conversation—it was a launchpad to make worker health a central pillar of the global climate resilience agenda. The workshop concluded with a collective commitment to transformative action, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaborations to implement equitable climate adaptation strategies for workers. The group’s shared expertise and dedication will continue to work collaboratively to advance research and drive impactful policies and innovative practices that protect workers on the frontlines of climate impacts.
Key participants from the workshop included Halshka Graczyk from the International Labour Organization (ILO), bringing global perspectives on worker protections; Vidhya Venogupal from Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, offering insights into heat stress research in vulnerable populations; Aubrey Miller from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a leader in environmental health research; Brenda Jacklitch and Paul Schulte, representing the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, CDC), contributed their expertise in worker health and exposure risks; Roxana Chicas from Emory University, a prominent advocate for solutions to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat; Patrick Behrer, an environmental and development economist on the Sustainability and Infrastructure team in the Development Research Group at the World Bank.
Additional participants included representatives from NOAA, the World Health Organization (WHO), and institutions like the University of California Irvine, and Colorado State University. Their collective efforts aimed to forge pathways that connect cutting-edge science with practical, equitable policy solutions.
For more details, the full list of participants, and a recording of Roxana Chicas’ public lecture, visit the AGCI workshop webpage.
About AGCI
For over 30 years, the Aspen Global Change Institute has helped make sense of change across Earth’s physical, natural, and human systems. As convenors and collaborators, we engage researchers and practitioners to work on the most important topics in global change and connect science and implementation. Our interdisciplinary work takes place at local, regional, and global scales. In all we do, we seek to co-generate relevant, reliable, and reputable knowledge and solutions to help mitigate and adapt to the impacts of global change. AGCI’s hallmark workshop series advances understanding of priority global change topics, strengthens collaboration within and between scientific disciplines, and engages the public on the societal relevance of global change science. Workshop ideas are championed by leaders in their respective fields, who in turn serve as workshop co-chairs. The small size and extended length of AGCI workshops provide the opportunity for substantive dialogue of knowledge, and interdisciplinary cooperation.
