By Anoud Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: Kuwait is characterized by a harsh, hyper-arid, and hot environment. While the heat is common among desert Gulf countries such as Kuwait, the climate has contributed to the deterioration of the situation in the country. Hot summers in Kuwait are recording uncharted extreme heat, threatening the workers’ health. Migrant workers are the most affected. Kuwait’s population is mainly migrant workers who take risky jobs such as construction and hospitality that are mainly outdoors and are a health hazard.

The extreme temperatures expose the migrants to an increased mortality risk, heat-related illnesses, and traumatic injury. The public acknowledges that climate change, mainly characterized by the increasing heat, challenges their health and working conditions, migrants in particular. However, they also view that other things such as education, corruption, and surviving the harsh economic time are more dire.

Despite the public acknowledgment that climate change is a significant challenge for Kuwait, a contradiction in public opinion exists as people show reluctance towards taking real action even as migrant workers, who comprise the country’s larger population and workforce, shoulder the significant burden of climate change and associated health risks.

In Kuwait, migrants comprise most of the working population and are the most adversely affected by climate change. According to Al-Ahmad, two-thirds of Kuwait’s population are migrant workers who are mainly from Arab and South and East-Asian countries. They work in hazardous occupations and spend extended periods outdoors in the extreme heat. Although some laws aim to protect migrants from the harsh effects of climate change, the actual impact of these acts is not entirely promising.

For instance, Al-Ahmad explained that in 2015, Kuwait banned employees from working in open outdoor spaces from 11:00 to 16:00 hours between June and August, the summer months in Kuwait. However, despite the ban on these working hours, migrant workers continue to be exposed to extreme heat conditions with inadequate protective measures.

An interview with migrant workers conducted when researching for this article revealed that migrant workers face harsh socioeconomic conditions that compel them to continue working in the harsh heat even when they should not be doing so. Farooq, a gas station attendant, explained that he is pushed to continue working in the heat as he supports his family back home. He stated “It’s something you must deal with. This is how we support our families back home so when I remember this, I’m pushed to keep going”

Similarly, Rajish, a co-op worker, noted that the heat caused significant health problems. He stated speaking to Kuwait times, “its caused me a lot of problems with my health but this is my job so I have to learn how to do my best even when the heat is strong.”

The public opinion paradox concerning climate change in Kuwait explains why migrants will continue to shoulder the immense burden of associated effects. According to Abufalgha, citizens of MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries acknowledge that climate change is a problem that needs to be addressed by the government.

In Kuwait, more than half of the population supports that the government should take initiatives to address the public climate change issue as it is a health hazard. However, when these citizens are asked about the action that the government of Kuwait should take towards improving their livelihoods, they do not prioritize climate change.

Al-Najjar notes that in a survey conducted among Kuwait people regarding what they thought the government should prioritize to enhance their economy, 19% focused on improving education, while 18% thought that emphasis should be on creating jobs. Further, 15% of the population noted that more government investment should increase wages and reduce inflation.

Notably, there was no significant voice in addressing climate change. The excessive focus on improving the socioeconomic aspects of the citizens’ lives explains why the lives of migrants in Kuwait will continue to be affected by the hazards of climate change. The socioeconomic problems that people face in Kuwait, particularly migrants, are significantly more dire, and they would rather risk their health in the extreme heat to sustain their livelihood and that of their families.

Various other factors are associated with the public opinion paradox and why migrants in Kuwait will continue to bear the significant burden of climate change. Limited knowledge among the public, particularly the migrants, concerning climate change and its effects makes them even more vulnerable. Al-Ahmad notes that the migrants have limited knowledge of recognizing climate change hazards such as heat exhaustion. Besides having limited knowledge of the effects of extreme heat on their health, most have limited knowledge of climate change and associated environmental effects.

Al-Najjar explains that when people in Kuwait are told to identify the most significant environmental challenges, they classify air quality, pollution of drinking water, and insecticides as the primary challenges. Only a few identified climate changes. Notably, the situation proves that Kuwait residents cannot identify climate change as a contributor to their environmental issues, indicating limited knowledge on the matter. More awareness should be raised concerning climate change and its effects so the public can focus on the issue.

Kuwait is a hot country whose conditions have been worsened by climate change, thus making the lives of working migrants in the country more challenging. Despite the migrants acknowledging that the heat harms them, the concern is not a priority. Their socioeconomic status and limited knowledge concerning climate change and its effects on the environment and their health create a public opinion paradox. More education on climate change and its effects must be imparted to the Kuwaiti public to increase their awareness of their situation.