Heat stress could erase work time equal to 147,000 full-time jobs by 2040

Two ILO country studies project that by 2040, even under a low-emissions pathway, heat-driven lost working time will equal roughly 145,000 full-time jobs in Sri Lanka and 2,400 in the Maldives, around 147,000 combined. Annual GDP losses are projected near $26.6 billion, including about $26 billion in Sri Lanka and $576 million in the Maldives. Agriculture is expected to be hardest hit in Sri Lanka, followed by services, manufacturing and construction; services and construction lead in the Maldives. Recommended responses include cooler shifts, work-rest cycles, shade, hydration, monitoring and social protection. This is a 2040 model projection, not a count of workers already dismissed.