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Extreme heat is putting jobs and long-term economic growth at risk across South Asia, with the region losing the equivalent of about 31 million full-time jobs in working hours every year, according to a new World Bank report.
The report, titled "Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth by Building Resilient South Asian Cities Against Extreme Heat," warns that if current trends continue, South Asia's economy could shrink by nearly 7 percent by 2050. During the same period, the region's working-age population is expected to increase by around 280 million, intensifying pressure on employment and productivity.
According to the report, about 520 million people in South Asia could face at least one month of dangerous heat exposure each year by 2070—roughly four times the number currently at risk.
The World Bank said rising temperatures are reducing labour productivity, disrupting businesses and weakening the competitiveness of cities. They are also placing growing pressure on healthcare systems and critical infrastructure. Low-income households, informal workers, women, children and older people are expected to bear the greatest burden.
Johannes Zutt, the World Bank's Vice President for South Asia, said the region's economic future depends heavily on its cities, but rising temperatures are threatening jobs, livelihoods and growth. He stressed that building heat-resilient cities is essential not only for protecting people but also for sustaining productivity, attracting investment and ensuring long-term economic development.
The report urges governments to treat extreme heat as a core development issue rather than merely a seasonal disaster. It recommends integrating heat-risk management into urban planning, infrastructure development, public policy and private investment.
Key recommendations include developing heat-resilient infrastructure, strengthening heat action plans, protecting vulnerable workers, expanding sustainable cooling systems, improving early warning systems and increasing public and private investment.
The report was prepared with support from the Resilient Asia Programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), with contributions from the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the City Resilience Programme (CRP).
