Project

The impact of air pollution on the world of work for women and youth in East and South East Asia

Air pollution is a growing problem in Asian countries, and while the impacts on human health are becoming increasingly known, the associated impacts on the world of work, including worker productivity, and work quality and quantity, remain understudied.

There is little evidence of the gendered impacts of poor air quality in the world of work. Photo: v2osk/Unsplash

Active project

2020–2022

Project contact

Diane Archer / diane.archer@sei.org

Within this, there is little evidence of the gendered impacts of poor air quality in the world of work, including impacts on younger population groups newly entering the job market. Through this project, focusing on East and South East Asian countries, we will review the existing evidence and knowledge and carry out case studies, in order to identify evidence-based recommendations to improve air quality alongside the quality and quantity of employment in a context of just transitions towards a low carbon economy. We will generate an evidence base needed by policy makers, employers and labour organisations and practitioners working in the environment, labour and health sectors to mitigate the ‘gendered’ impacts of air pollution in the world of work. Working in collaboration with stakeholders, we will identify knowledge gaps, mitigating pathways, economic, employment and labour market policy options, the roles of stakeholders, and opportunities to improve the quality of jobs and contribute to a healthier and more resilient economy. The research will be framed within a larger analytical framework of environmental justice and distributive environmental justice.

Working in collaboration with stakeholders and using regional case studies, we will identify knowledge gaps, mitigating pathways, economic, employment and labour market policy options, roles of stakeholders, and opportunities to improve the quality of jobs and contribute to a healthier and more resilient economy. We will frame the research within a larger analytical framework of environmental justice and distributive environmental justice.

The overall objective is to understand the differentiated impacts of air pollution on the world of work in East and Southeast Asian countries, and to identify evidence-based recommendations from regional case studies, to improve air quality and the quality and quantity of employment in a context of just transitions towards a low carbon economy.

As a result, we will add to the evidence base needed by policy makers, employers and labour organisations and practitioners working in the environment, labour and health sectors to mitigate the ‘gendered’ impacts of air pollution in work.

The project will produce knowledge that can be used by policy makers, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and civil society, at the intersection of labour, environment and health. It will help to ensure that ‘gendering’ effects of any measures that are applied are fully accounted for in decision-making.

Through active participation and capacity building, we will also raise the awareness of employers’ and workers’ groups and other civil society organisations working on air quality and labour rights about the need to consider air quality in the context of work, and identify potential solutions that also create employment opportunities, working in collaboration with local organisations in the case study countries.

Air pollution and the world of work in Southeast Asia: findings from regional case studies

SEI brief / Four case studies are part of a larger study examining air pollution and workers' occupational exposures in southeast Asia.

31 March 2023 / About Behaviour and choice and Pollution

A worker in a garment factory; Courtesy of Chandath Him

Air pollution and workers’ health in Cambodia’s garment sector

SEI brief / A new study on air pollution and garment workers in Cambodia aims to influence policy and interventions to protect their health, with benefits across the board.

24 March 2023 / About Pollution

Air pollution in Bangkok: addressing unequal exposure and enhancing public understanding of the risks

SEI brief / This brief examines the relationship between air-pollution exposure, socio-economic status, and working conditions in Bangkok; it urges related policy changes.

7 March 2023 / About Cities and Pollution

SEI Asia’s online modules explore air pollution and the world of work

Feature / SEI Asia’s new online learning modules on “air pollution and the world of work” aims to advance our understanding of the effects of air pollution.

13 January 2023 / About Pollution and Wellbeing

Exposure to barbeque smoke in Vientiane, Lao PDR: gendered disparities and unequal exposures for grillers

SEI brief / Improving air quality and protection for workers in the grilled food sector means addressing the various dimensions of the impacts of grill smoke.

10 January 2023 / About Behaviour and choice, Fossil fuels and Pollution

Toxic smoke is seen from a truck exhaust pipe in São Paulo, Brazil

SEI Asia podcast: Informal workers in the just transition to a green economy

Feature / In this episode we talk with Eric Roder from International Labour Organization (ILO) on how we can ensure a just transition to a green economy.

29 November 2022 / About Pollution and Wellbeing

SEI Asia podcast: Air pollution and its impacts on the health of workers in Cambodia

Feature / In this episode we talk with Chandath Him from Cambodia's Ministry of Environment on efforts to address the impacts of air pollution on textile workers.

8 November 2022 / About Pollution and Wellbeing

SEI Asia podcast: Intersectionality and air pollution in the world of work

Feature / This is an excerpt of a podcast conversation with Thanh Vu for the first episode of the miniseries "Air Pollution in the World of Work".

26 October 2022 / About Behaviour and choice, Pollution, Public policy and Wellbeing

woman sorting plastic in a craft village in Viet Nam

Viet Nam’s craft villages and occupational air pollution: socioeconomic disparities and gendered exposures

SEI brief / This policy brief summarizes research on gender, age and other socioeconomic and cultural factors that lead to air pollution exposures in Viet Nam's workplaces.

19 October 2022 / About Behaviour and choice, Pollution and Public policy

Thai street food stall © Satjawat Boontanataweepol / Getty

Air pollution and the world of work: policies, initiatives and the current situation – a scoping and evidence review for Southeast and East Asia

SEI report / This scoping report assesses the interlinkages between air pollution and the world of work in East and Southeast Asia, to identify knowledge gaps to be filled.

17 October 2022 / About Behaviour and choice, Participation, Pollution, Public policy and Wellbeing

Women do the task of gold plating. The fine gold dust gets blown everywhere around the room and the ground

A day in the life of a female handicraft worker in Viet Nam

Feature / This piece looks at the day in the life of a female worker in a lacquer craft village in Viet Nam to show how female workers are exposed to air pollution.

14 June 2022 / About Pollution

Understanding the gendered impacts of air pollution in the world of work

Perspective / Is there a connection between air quality, gender, and work?

24 November 2020 / About Adaptation, Cities and Pollution

Addressing the causes of Thailand’s largest invisible killer: air pollution

Past event / Air pollution in Thailand ranks amongst the worst in the world. In this seminar, we examine the three major sources of air pollution in Thailand.

04 August 2022 / About Cities, Pollution and Transport

Assessing exposure to air pollution among workers in Bangkok

Perspective / An SEI study shows the need to urgently improve air quality both indoors and outdoors to protect the health of workers in Thailand.

4 August 2022 / About Pollution

A day in the life of a female handicraft worker in Viet Nam

Feature / This piece looks at the day in the life of a female worker in a lacquer craft village in Viet Nam to show how female workers are exposed to air pollution.

14 June 2022 / About Pollution