New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Extreme heat could shrink South Asia's economy by 7% by 2050 if countries in the region fail to take urgent adaptation measures, according to the newly released World Bank report. This could cost the region the equivalent of 31 million full-time jobs every year.

According to the World Bank's "A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities" report, rising temperatures are no longer just a seasonal emergency but a major structural threat to employment, productivity, and long-term economic growth.

Without adaptation, the report said, rising heat could leave South Asia's GDP close to 7 per cent smaller by 2050-the steepest projected loss of any developing region in the world.

It a...