GENEVA, Switzerland (CMC)— The 2026–2027 El Niño weather phenomenon could threaten jobs, reduce incomes and worsen working conditions across the Caribbean, with agriculture, fisheries and tourism among the sectors expected to face the greatest risks, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The ILO says the Caribbean is expected to experience drought, water shortages and heatwaves during the current El Niño cycle, conditions that could have significant consequences for workers, businesses and vulnerable communities across the region.

In its policy brief, El Niño 2026–2027 and the world of work in Latin America and the Caribbean: a causal chain from climate to employment and labour institutions, the ILO warns that the climate phenomenon could disrupt employment, increase food insecurity, push up food and energy prices and worsen working conditions, particularly for informal workers, rural communities and people whose jobs require them to work outdoors.