The International Labour Organization (ILO) has revealed that climate change is transforming the world of work across the Arab States, disrupting employment patterns and threatening livelihoods in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and energy. At the same time, it is creating new opportunities for green jobs and environmentally sustainable businesses. The findings come from the ILO Regional Office for Arab States’ newly launched Employment, Environment and Climate Nexus Factsheets for 12 countries, which mark the organization’s first comprehensive regional evidence base connecting labour market dynamics with environmental performance and climate vulnerability.
The data highlights that climate change and environmental degradation are intensifying unemployment, informality, and gender inequality in the region’s labour markets. Rising temperatures, water scarcity, air pollution, and extreme weather events are further compounding these challenges. However, these same pressures are also opening doors to inclusive growth through renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and climate-resilient industries, which offer potential for green job creation while protecting both people and the planet.
The factsheets also reveal sharp disparities between countries in terms of vulnerability and readiness to address climate impacts. Conflict-affected nations in the region are among the world’s most climate-vulnerable, facing severe air pollution, water scarcity, and lack of access to clean energy, while Gulf countries show stronger institutional readiness but still contend with high emissions. Notably, all Arab States exceed the World Health Organization’s safe limits for air pollution, and many face the risk of losing jobs and working hours due to rising heat stress.
Despite the challenges, the ILO identifies strong opportunities for job creation through green investments. Countries such as Jordan and Lebanon have already generated thousands of jobs in solar energy, while Gulf nations like Oman and Saudi Arabia are advancing major renewable energy projects under their national strategies targeting 30–50% renewable electricity by 2050. According to Mette Grangaard Lund, Just Transition Specialist at the ILO Regional Office for Arab States, addressing climate change requires “coordinated, forward-looking action” that links climate policy with decent work and social justice.
Developed as part of the ILO’s regional contributions to its global just transition programme, the factsheets draw on national and international data sources, including ILOSTAT, the World Bank, IRENA, the Environmental Performance Index, and the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. The full set of Employment, Environment and Climate Nexus Factsheets for the Arab States is available on the ILO website, providing governments and policymakers with vital data to shape inclusive, evidence-based climate and labour policies.
