Charles Sturt University to host symposium on how climate change is affecting more than the environment. The Implications of Climate Change for Regional Work and Organisation Resilience symposium will be held at the Wagga campus. Photo: Zeljkosantrac.
Charles Sturt University (CSU) is set to host a symposium on how climate change affects the well-being of regional workers.
CSU’s Regional Work and Organisational Resilience Sturt Group (RWOR) is hosting a series of symposia, starting with the Implications of Climate Change for Regional Work and Organisational Resilience, which will be at the Wagga campus on Tuesday 6 September.
The climate change symposium will explore the emotional, mental and physical well-being of workers in regional Australia.
CSU Associate Professor in Geospatial Science at the Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment Andrew Hall, is the keynote speaker who will address the “climate change impacts on workability across regional Australia”.
Associate Professor Hall said the temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed need to be taken into consideration to understand the environmental effect of climate change on health risks to outdoor workers.
“Wet-bulb globe temperature is a commonly used index that combines these measures to provide an indicator of the body’s ability to shed excess heat,” he said.
“Using commonly applied climate change scenarios to assess climate risk, we have found that by mid-century, wet-bulb globe temperature will likely cross thresholds that will restrict human physical activity for longer periods of the year across larger areas of Australia.
“Research to prepare us to be able to manage these potential future health risks needs to be a priority.”
Project lead Associate Professor Larissa Bamberry said the RWOR Group is keen to work with regional employers to find solutions for the arising issues.
“Regional labour markets have always experienced challenges in recruitment and retention of workers in key industries,” she said.
“With the additional impacts of rising temperatures and the changing frequency of droughts and floods, regional employers will need new strategies for managing workers’ wellbeing and building resilient organisations.”
The symposium guest speakers include thermal physiologists, social scientists, leading climatologist regional researchers and organisation representatives.
The speaker sessions will be followed by workshops and interactive panel sessions exploring research findings, current concerns and responses of industry, and evolving strategies and approaches to support organisational and community resilience.
The symposium will be held on Tuesday 6 September from 9 am to 5 pm at the Charles Sturt Convention Centre, Building 230.
The event will also be streamed online.
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