SriLanka, Nov. 1 -- Rising temperatures and workplace heat stress are already affecting workers, productivity and economies in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, according to new studies by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The findings show that the economic and employment consequences could intensify substantially in the coming decades.

By 2040, even under a low-emissions pathway, reduced working time caused by rising heat stress is projected to amount to the equivalent of around 147,000 full-time jobs across the two countries: approximately 145,000 in Sri Lanka and 2,400 in the Maldives.

Under the same pathway, combined annual GDP losses are projected at around USD 26.6 billion by 2040, including approximately USD 26 billion in S...