Heat-related illness cases in Taiwan have jumped sharply over the past three years, Greenpeace reported during a media conference today. The organization revealed that heat-related illness cases among adults rose by over 70 percent since 2021, drawing serious attention to worker safety and economic impacts.
According to Greenpeace, the extreme heat has reduced productivity and triggered major financial losses. Taiwan suffered an estimated NT$39.7 billion in economic losses last year alone across six municipalities. Greenpeace urged businesses to embrace green energy solutions and called for stronger heat protection measures for outdoor workers.
The Ministry of Labor already has a guide for managing high-temperature risks. However, Greenpeace wants these guidelines expanded to protect all outdoor workers. The organization also pushed the Ministry of Economic Affairs to study how high temperatures affect the economy.
In 2024, Taiwan recorded 1,796 hours of category-3 heat, classified as dangerous temperatures over 40.6°C. This marked a sharp increase from 1,148 hours in 2022. Greenpeace’s communication officer Felicia Lin shared this data and stressed the urgency of climate adaptation.
The number of heat-related illness cases among people aged 19 to 64 increased from 1,622 in 2022 to 2,829 in 2024. That’s a 74.4 percent jump, according to Greenpeace campaign director Lydia Fang. From April to May 2023 alone, cases surged by 82.5 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
Using Kaohsiung as a case study, Greenpeace found that dangerous heat levels led to a loss of NT$11.9 billion last year. These calculations were based on the minimum wage and maximum monthly work hours.
Greenpeace also referenced data from the US and UK. In the US, outdoor workers reportedly lose 41 workdays per year to heat. Salary losses average around US$5,000 annually. In the UK, similar conditions caused losses of up to £5.3 billion, or 0.2 percent of GDP.
Labor rights advocates believe more action is needed. Son Yu-liam from Taiwan Labor Front called for changes to the Occupational Safety and Health Act. He also suggested recognizing heat exhaustion hospitalizations as work-related injuries.
Professor Yang Hsiao-yu from National Taiwan University warned that agricultural workers face increased risk. His study found that they are over twice as likely to develop chronic kidney disease due to dehydration. Each degree Celsius increase raises the risk by 8 percent.
He stressed that many doctors fail to connect high temperatures to kidney disease. He also criticized poor coordination between the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
To prevent heat-related illness cases, Yang advised outdoor workers to drink 250ml of water every 20 minutes. He also warned against consuming alcohol or sugary drinks while working in the sun.
Greenpeace concluded by urging the government to shift away from fossil fuels and improve protection for vulnerable workers. Heat-related illness cases continue to rise, and stronger policies are urgently needed.
