Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 3 hrs ago
Heat caused more than $1 trillion in lost earnings for a third year
Heat cost workers 573 billion hours of productivity in 2025, according to a global report on climate change and health.
The lost earnings exceeded $1 trillion for the third year in a row.
Agriculture accounted for about 38% of the losses, or $403.9 billion, partly because so much farm work takes place outdoors.
Heat can cause heat stress and reduce people's ability to work, especially outdoors.
The report also estimates that average annual heat-related deaths rose about 36% in 2016–23 compared with 2006–15, reaching about 710,000 in 2023.
It says climate change contributed to more than 70% of those deaths, and warns that changing rainfall patterns also threaten crops, water and sanitation.
The report calls climate change a global health emergency and urges governments to respond; energy and emissions are expected to be central topics at the UN climate conference COP31 in Turkey in November.
Heat caused 573 billion hours of lost labour productivity in 2025, with income losses exceeding $1 trillion for the third consecutive year.
Agriculture accounted for about 38% of the losses, or $403.9 billion.
The figures were reported by the Lancet Countdown, a group that tracks climate change’s effects on health.
The report also estimated that annual heat-related deaths rose by about 36% in 2016–23 compared with 2006–15.
The report called climate change a global health emergency and urged governments and international organisations to act.
- Who
- The Lancet Countdown, working with researchers and the World Health Organization, published the report.
- What
- Heat caused 573 billion hours of lost labour productivity in 2025. Income losses exceeded $1 trillion for the third year in a row.
- When
- The report was released on October 28, 2026, and covers 2025.
- Where
- Worldwide.
- Why
- Heat causes heat stress and reduced physical capacity, particularly for people working outdoors.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
About 15% of the world’s land area experienced heavy rainfall that could trigger landslides.
Average annual heat-related deaths rose by about 36% compared with 2006–15.
Heat caused 573 billion hours of lost labour productivity and more than $1 trillion in income losses.
The Lancet Countdown published its report on the effects of climate change on health.
- Lost labour productivity
- 573 billion hours in 2025
- Income losses
- More than $1 trillion for the third consecutive year
- Agriculture’s share
- About 38%, or $403.9 billion
- Heat-related deaths
- About 710,000 in 2023
- Energy supply
- More than 80% still depended on fossil fuels
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What people are saying
The biggest driver of climate change is in the energy sector.
Climate change has become a global health emergency.