Press ReleaseThe 2026–2027 El Niño phenomenon could negatively affect employment, reduce workers’ incomes and worsen working conditions in Latin America and the Caribbean, with informal, rural and outdoor workers among those likely to be hardest hit, according to new research by the International Labour Organization (ILO). “The 2026–2027 El Niño poses a major challenge for employment and decent work in Latin America and the Caribbean. The scale of its impacts will depend on countries’ ability to anticipate them through strong labour market institutions, social protection systems and social dialogue that protect those who are most vulnerable,” said ILO Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Fabio Bertranou. The study stresses that the impacts of El Niño are not predetermined. (ILO Caribbean Office)