India suffered income loss of $159 bn due to extreme heat in 2021: Report

India suffered an income loss of USD 159 billion, 5.4 per cent of its gross domestic product, in the service, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction sectors due to extreme heat in 2021, according to a new report.

Heat exposure in the country led to the loss of 167 billion potential labour hours, a 39 per cent increase from 19901999, said the Climate Transparency Report 2022 compiled by an international partnership of organisations.

Labour productivity in India is projected to decline by five per cent from the 19862006 reference period if global temperatures increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius, it said.

The decline in labour productivity will be 2.1 times more if the global temperatures increase by 2.5 degrees Celsius, and 2.7 times at a three degree Celsius scenario.

Between 20162021, extreme events such as cyclones, flash floods, floods, and landslides caused damage to crops in over 36 million hectares, a USD 3.75 billion loss for farmers in the country, the report said.

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