It’s Earth Day 2026, and the situation is clear: climate change is something we must all face and adapt to.
Efforts worldwide to avoid worsening impacts of climate change have not yet been enough. Mitigation and adaptation strategies are called for. This changes work, changes workplaces, and sometimes even creates work.
State of the Planet
Last month the World Meteorological Organization issued its annual report on the State of the Global Climate 2025. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent report is the AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023. In Canada, the latest assessment by the federal government on how we plan to live with climate change is Canada in a Changing Climate.
Critics of the 2025 Federal Budget have pointed out that many of its measures move in the wrong direction on climate change. The big picture is more complicated than that, but for one thing—as our members at Natural Resources Canada know—planned spending cuts include termination of certain important programs, including the Canada Greener Homes Grant and the Two Billion Trees program.
The Battle is not Over
Overall, the news is mixed: For example, solar and wind energy use globally were at a record high in 2024, but fossil fuel energy consumption was still roughly 31 times as high.
It seems there is always plenty of bad news on the climate front, but a December 2025 State of the Climate report also reminds us that “Climate change mitigation strategies are available, cost effective, and urgently needed. From forest protection and renewables to plant-rich diets, we can still limit warming if we act boldly and quickly.”
Climate Change is Union Business
Here are just a few examples of how climate change affects our members’ work. Some of the impacts are about coping with changes themselves. Others are about implementing mitigation measures. This is just a sample; thousands of other members in diverse workplaces across the country may be dealing with other effects.
All in all, we can see that we have reached the point where climate change is a daily presence in our lives that will not be ignored.
The Port of Saint John is 26 kilometers of waterfront. As you can imagine, a lot of energy is consumed in its operation—which means a lot of opportunities for fuel efficiencies and use of renewables. Local 61124 President Matt Brown says the impacts of climate change on members’ work are mainly on the proactive, mitigation side. This includes more use of solar energy and energy-saving measures, electric vehicles, composting waste, and levies on ships that dump oil or idle their engines in the port. Brown sits on the Environmental Awareness committee there and apparently it’s a very active file.
edgar almeida is President of local 00047. He tells us about some of the changes in the arctic: Canadian Coast Guard deck crew working on Aids to Navigation on the Mackenzie River have dealt with multiple groundings due to historically low water levels. Also in the arctic, Marine Civil Infrastructure crews have reported new and different workplace hazards due to changes in some insect species’ breeding patterns—that is, earlier and more intensive onset of the bugs.
Engineers are also dealing with accelerated thawing of permafrost. It creates new challenges for structures that were built on the permafrost, which are now collapsing or becoming misaligned.
As well, in the years 2023 – 2025, reduction in commercial shipping led to the shipping season on the Mackenzie River ending prematurely, raising job security concerns.Wildfire season is changing and affecting our members. According to almeida, many UCTE members were affected by evacuation orders in 2023 and 2024. Christa Maloney, President of Local 90915 recalls forest fires affecting the inspection routes of Technical Inspectors with Transport Canada. Working outside wearing Personal Protective Equipment in extreme heat is becoming more of an issue.
Griffin Bell, Vice-President for Health and Safety at local 00056 on the Trent Severn Waterway, describes some of the many effects on our members working outdoors:
Wildfire smoke reduces air quality by introducing a mix of gases and vapours. Fine particulate in smoke has been linked to several health effects including headaches; nose, throat, and sinus irritation; ranging up to more severe cases including wheezing, severe cough, and heart palpitation.
Periods of increased heat and humidity also increasing risk. During heat warnings—issued when the humidex is above 42 degrees Celsius—workers must take frequent breaks or risk heat-related illness. In 2025, more than 5 heat warnings were issued in Ontario, affecting members’ ability to deliver services to the public and to maintain basic infrastructure.
Increased hazardous weather events, such as heavy or freezing rain and strong winds, create a dangerous environment to work in. Fast flowing water in large volumes creates difficult situations on water control mechanisms operated by members. Icy conditions increase the potential for motor vehicle incidents and damage to infrastructure. After adverse weather events, employee resources are diverted to storm clean up, taking away from regular operations.
