How Heatwaves Impact the Economies Across Europe

16 hours ago 4

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Heatwaves have gripped Europe over the past week, with Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy among the most affected. These regions face record-high temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius.

Quoted from Euronews, according to the 2024 report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union, Europe is the continent with the fastest-rising temperatures on Earth, warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s.

Aside from the direct impact on people's lives, extreme heat is also taking a toll on the economy. Due to the heatwave, the Eiffel Tower was closed to tourists on Tuesday, July 1, and Wednesday, July 2. The Eiffel Tower management staff urged potential visitors to take preventive measures during the scorching weather.

"We apologize for the inconvenience caused. During this period of high temperatures, please remember to protect yourselves from the sun and stay hydrated regularly," wrote the Eiffel Tower management, as quoted by CNN.

Prolonged hot weather can lead to more hospital visits, sluggish productivity in the construction and agriculture sectors, reduced agricultural yields, and even direct damage to infrastructure. During hot weather, employees become less productive, even if they work indoors.

A 2018 study reported slower economic growth among U.S. states during the summer. "The data shows that annual growth falls 0.15 to 0.25 percentage points for every 1 degree Fahrenheit that a state’s average summer temperature was above normal," as quoted from Weforum.org.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) estimated that between 1980 and 2000, heat waves in 32 European countries cost up to US$71 billion, not including deadly heatwaves in the past two decades.

Meanwhile, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that by 2030, heatwaves could reduce global working hours by more than 2 percent. The reduction is equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs and costs about US$2.4 trillion, nearly ten times the 1995 figure.

According to a synthesis report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as quoted from Phys.org, climate change-induced heat stress could reduce the outdoor physical work capacity on a global scale. The report also noted that in some tropical regions, outdoor work may become impossible by the end of this century for 200 to 250 days each year.

Heatwaves and droughts also threaten agriculture and food security. In 2019, heatwaves caused a nine percent decrease in corn yields across France and a ten percent decrease in wheat harvests.

The scorching heat in the United States in 2010 led to a 13 percent drop in corn production and a sharp increase in global prices. Heatwaves also have a negative impact on livestock production and dairy output.

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