Extreme heat wipes out 31 million jobs a year in South Asia: World Bank

Extreme heat is costing South Asia the equivalent of 31 million full-time jobs every year, while the region's economy could shrink by around 7 percent by 2050 if current trends continue, according to a new World Bank report.

The report, titled "A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities," warns that rising temperatures are emerging as one of the biggest threats to employment, productivity and long-term economic growth across the region.

According to the report, by 2070, nearly 520 million people in South Asia could face dangerously high temperatures for at least one month each year—four times the current number.

The World Bank said South Asia is expected to add 280 million working-age people by 2050, but intensifying heat could undermine employment opportunities and economic expansion if adequate adaptation measures are not taken.

The report found that extreme heat is already reducing labour productivity, disrupting businesses and weakening the competitiveness of South Asian cities. It is also placing mounting pressure on healthcare systems and critical infrastructure, with low-income households, informal workers, women, children and the elderly bearing the greatest burden.

World Bank Vice President for South Asia Johannes Zutt said the region's cities are central to its future, but rising temperatures are putting jobs, livelihoods and economic growth at risk.

"Building heat-resilient cities is not only about protecting people from rising temperatures—it is about safeguarding jobs, boosting productivity, attracting investment and ensuring cities remain engines of economic growth," he said.

The report argues that extreme heat should no longer be treated as a seasonal hazard but as a core development challenge requiring integration into urban planning, infrastructure investment, public policy and private-sector development.

It outlines a roadmap for policymakers, recommending greater investment in heat-resilient infrastructure, stronger heat action plans, improved protection for vulnerable workers, expansion of sustainable cooling systems, enhanced early warning mechanisms and increased public-private investment.

John Warburton, Climate Resilience Lead for Asia-Pacific at the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), described extreme heat as a growing development crisis that is destroying livelihoods, harming public health, reducing productivity and pushing vulnerable communities deeper into poverty.

The report notes that practical solutions are already being implemented across parts of South Asia, including heat action plans, climate-resilient infrastructure, urban greening, early warning systems and efficient cooling technologies. However, scaling up these initiatives will require stronger institutions, better coordination and increased investment.

The World Bank cautioned that as urbanisation accelerates, the decisions governments make today will determine whether South Asia's cities continue to drive employment, innovation and economic growth—or become increasingly constrained by the escalating impacts of extreme heat.

The report was prepared under the Resilient Asia Program, funded by the UK's FCDO through its Climate Action for a Resilient Asia initiative, with additional support from the World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the City Resilience Programme.