Rising workplace heat linked to climate change could cost the Maldives nearly USD 1.7 billion in annual economic output by 2060 under a very high-emissions scenario, according to a study published by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The projected loss is equivalent to about 10.5 percent of the country’s projected GDP. Even under a low-emissions pathway, annual losses could reach approximately USD 1.46 billion by 2060.
The economic burden is already measurable. In 2023, increased workplace heat was estimated to have cost the Maldives USD 364.3 million in output and more than 3.3 million working hours compared with the historical baseline. Those lost hours were equivalent to the annual working time of 1,663 full-time workers.
By 2040, even under a low-emissions pathway, heat stress is projected to affect the equivalent of around 2,400 full-time jobs in the Maldives, with annual GDP losses of about USD 576 million.
Services, the backbone of the economy, are expected to bear the largest share of losses, followed by transport, trade, construction, and agriculture and fisheries.
The study is part of a series examining heat stress impacts in several climate-vulnerable countries, including Sri Lanka. It recommends integrating protection against excessive workplace heat into occupational health and safety policies.
