ILO Studies Project Billions in Economic Costs from Heat Stress
What happened
The International Labour Organization published six country studies on heat stress in late October 2026, supported by the Climate Vulnerable Forum. The studies project significant economic losses across nations, including Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal. For instance, Ethiopia is projected to lose US$33.3 billion annually in lost output by 2040 under a low-emissions pathway.
From riotimesonline.com
Why it matters
The findings quantify the impact of rising temperatures on national economies and labor markets. The ILO estimates that heat could reduce working time equivalent to 1.78 million full-time jobs annually in Ethiopia by 2040. These projections highlight major risks to economic output in climate-vulnerable regions.
From riotimesonline.com
Who's involved
- International Labour OrganizationConducted the studies on heat stress costs and labor market impacts.
- Climate Vulnerable ForumSupported the research through a joint fund.
- EthiopiaCountry projected to lose US$33.3 billion annually in output by 2040.
- GhanaCountry projected to incur US$23.2 billion in annual losses.
- SenegalCountry projected to incur US$10.5 billion in annual losses.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
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The entities involved
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International Labour Organization
United Nations agency dealing with labour issues
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Climate Vulnerable Forum
global partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change. The forum addresses the negative effects of climate change as a result of heightened socioeconomic and environmental vulnerabilities
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