World Bank report on South Asia heat
Analysis based on 18 articles · First reported Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026
The report highlights significant economic risks from extreme heat in South Asia, potentially affecting labor productivity and GDP growth. Investors may reassess exposure to South Asian markets and sectors vulnerable to heat, such as agriculture, construction, and infrastructure.
The World Bank Group released a report titled 'A Liveable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities' on July 29-30, 2026. The report warns that extreme heat is costing South Asia the equivalent of 31 million full-time jobs annually and could shrink the region's economy by nearly 7% by 2050. It projects that by 2070, around 520 million people in South Asia could face at least one month of dangerous heat each year, four times more than today. The report emphasizes that heat should be treated as a core development priority, not a seasonal emergency, and recommends investing in heat-resilient infrastructure, strengthening Heat Action Plans, protecting vulnerable workers, expanding sustainable cooling, improving early warning systems, and mobilizing public and private investment. It was prepared with support from the Resilient Asia Program (RAP), funded by the UK's United Kingdom — Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through its Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) program, along with the World Bank Group's Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and City Resilience Program (CRP).
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