Extreme heat is costing South Asia the equivalent of nearly 31 million full-time jobs each year and could reduce the region's economy by nearly 7% by 2050, according to a World Bank report released on Wednesday.
The report, titled A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities, says rising temperatures pose a growing threat to employment, productivity, and long-term economic growth as South Asia is projected to add 280 million working-age people by 2050.
According to the report, around 520 million people across South Asia could experience at least 1 month of dangerous heat each year by 2070, 4 times the current figure. It says extreme heat is reducing labor productivity, disrupting businesses, and affecting the competitiveness of cities while placing additional pressure on health systems and critical infrastructure.
The report says low-income households, informal workers, women, older people, and children are among those most affected by rising temperatures.
Johannes Zutt, World Bank vice president for South Asia, said: “South Asia's cities are central to the region's 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 continue to drive economic growth. By acting now, countries can build more resilient, competitive, and livable cities that create opportunities for future generations.”
The report examines the effects of extreme heat on workers, businesses, infrastructure, public services, and urban economies. It argues that heat should no longer be treated as a seasonal emergency but should instead become a core development priority integrated into urban planning, infrastructure investment, public policy, and private-sector development.
It recommends investing in heat-resilient infrastructure, strengthening Heat Action Plans, protecting vulnerable workers, expanding sustainable cooling, improving early warning systems, and increasing public and private investment to improve urban resilience.
John Warburton, climate resilience lead for Asia Pacific at the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, said: “Across South Asia, extreme heat is destroying livelihoods, impacting public health, depressing productivity, and pushing the most vulnerable further into poverty.
“This is a development crisis that calls for sustained action across sectors. That is why the UK government, through our flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia program, is committed to working with the World Bank and other partners to build knowledge, inform policies, and unlock the investment needs in the region to adapt to a warming planet.”
The report says many solutions are already being implemented across South Asian cities, including Heat Action Plans, resilient infrastructure, urban greening, early warning systems, and efficient cooling. It says expanding these measures will require stronger institutions, improved coordination, and greater public and private investment.
It adds that investment in heat resilience will be critical to protecting jobs, sustaining economic growth, and supporting the region's long-term development as urbanization continues.
The report was prepared with support from the Resilient Asia Program (RAP), funded by the UK government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through its Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) program. The World Bank's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the City Resilience Program (CRP) also supported the report.