  
Rising temperatures and worsening heat stress are projected to severely erode labor productivity in South Asia, with Sri Lanka and the Maldives estimated to lose the equivalent of 147,000 full-time jobs by 2040. The anticipated decline highlights growing vulnerabilities across key workforce sectors operating under intensifying climate conditions.
Heat stress occurs when the human body cannot dissipate excess heat effectively, leading to reduced physical working capacity, frequent work stoppages, and heightened occupational health risks. Projections indicate that the accumulation of lost productive working hours across both island nations will culminate in economic disruptions equivalent to tens of thousands of lost livelihoods over the next two decades.
Key Developments
- Sri Lanka and the Maldives face a combined loss equivalent to 147,000 full-time jobs by 2040 due to heat stress.
- Rising ambient temperatures are directly undermining worker efficiency and working-hour capacity across both island economies.
- The projections underscore increasing occupational health strains and long-term economic vulnerability in the region.
For vulnerable economies like Sri Lanka and the Maldives, escalating thermal challenges will test existing workplace standards and social protection mechanisms. As elevated heat conditions restrict daily productive hours, national economic planning will increasingly depend on climate-adapted labor policies and targeted heat-mitigation strategies to safeguard vulnerable workforces.