Baghdad: The Green Iraq Observatory has made an urgent appeal to the government to shorten official working hours in the coming days to safeguard public health due to soaring temperatures.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the observatory highlighted in a press release that temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius are adversely affecting various segments of the population, including the elderly, women, children, individuals with chronic illnesses, and employees across both government and private sectors. The observatory recommended that official working hours should be reduced to 1:00 PM from the usual 3:00 PM. This adjustment is expected to alleviate the burden on the national electricity grid and reduce carbon emissions.

Moreover, the observatory advocated for the implementation of a flexible work system that facilitates remote work for positions that do not necessitate physical presence. It emphasized the importance of mandating the private sector to ensure a safe working environment and to minimize outdoor working hours for employees during peak heat periods from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The observatory further noted that reducing working hours could positively influence electricity availability for citizens by allowing power to be conserved when government offices shut down. This measure would also help decrease the incidence of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke, exhaustion, or fatigue among citizens who often wait in queues for their transactions.