Heat Stress Could Cost Ethiopia USD33.3bn in Annual GDP by 2040: ILO Warns
Rising temperatures could cost Ethiopia an estimated USD 33.3 billion in annual gross domestic product by 2040 through reduced labor productivity, according to a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), which warns that heat exposure is already adversely impacting employment and economic output. The projected loss is based on a low-emissions scenario and represents the potential annual economic impact over the next decade and a half. Among the six countries examined in the ILO research—which also covers Ghana, Lebanon, the Maldives, Senegal, and Sri Lanka—Ethiopia recorded the highest projected GDP loss. Released on Thursday, the study estimates that annual GDP losses across the six nations will range from USD 575.5 million in the Maldives to USD 33.3 billion in Ethiopia…