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Economic Losses of Heat-Induced Reductions in Outdoor Worker Productivity: a Case Study of Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Anton Orlov

    (Center for International Climate Research (CICERO))

  • Jana Sillmann

    (Center for International Climate Research (CICERO))

  • Asbjørn Aaheim

    (Center for International Climate Research (CICERO))

  • Kristin Aunan

    (Center for International Climate Research (CICERO))

  • Karianne Bruin

    (Wageningen Environmental Research)

Abstract

European countries have experienced strong heat waves over the last two decades. The frequency and magnitude of such extreme weather events are expected to increase in the near future. Using an interdisciplinary approach, which combines meteorological, epidemiological and economic analyses, we assess the cost of heat-induced reductions in outdoor worker productivity in Europe caused by the heat waves in August of 2003, July of 2010, and July of 2015. We found that for the top ten most affected European countries, average direct economic losses in agriculture accounted for $59–90 per worker and for construction, it was $41–72 per worker. Direct economic losses were especially high in countries, such as Cyprus, Italy, and Spain. Social costs of heat-induced reductions in worker productivity in agriculture and construction account for an average of $2–3 per capita.

Suggested Citation

  • Anton Orlov & Jana Sillmann & Asbjørn Aaheim & Kristin Aunan & Karianne Bruin, 2019. "Economic Losses of Heat-Induced Reductions in Outdoor Worker Productivity: a Case Study of Europe," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 191-211, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:ediscc:v:3:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s41885-019-00044-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s41885-019-00044-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anton Orlov & Anne Sophie Daloz & Jana Sillmann & Wim Thiery & Clara Douzal & Quentin Lejeune & Carl Schleussner, 2021. "Global Economic Responses to Heat Stress Impacts on Worker Productivity in Crop Production," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 367-390, October.
    2. Kilian Kuhla & Sven Norman Willner & Christian Otto & Leonie Wenz & Anders Levermann, 2021. "Future heat stress to reduce people’s purchasing power," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Sharon L. Campbell & Tomas A. Remenyi & Grant J. Williamson & Christopher J. White & Fay H. Johnston, 2019. "The Value of Local Heatwave Impact Assessment: A Case-Crossover Analysis of Hospital Emergency Department Presentations in Tasmania, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, October.
    4. Leonidas G. Ioannou & Konstantinos Mantzios & Lydia Tsoutsoubi & Zoe Panagiotaki & Areti K. Kapnia & Ursa Ciuha & Lars Nybo & Andreas D. Flouris & Igor B. Mekjavic, 2021. "Effect of a Simulated Heat Wave on Physiological Strain and Labour Productivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-17, March.
    5. N. Naveena & G. Ch. Satyanarayana & D. V. Bhaskar Rao & D. Srinivas, 2021. "An accentuated “hot blob” over Vidarbha, India, during the pre-monsoon season," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 105(2), pages 1359-1373, January.
    6. Lucie Adélaïde & Olivier Chanel & Mathilde Pascal, 2022. "Health effects from heat waves in France: an economic evaluation," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(1), pages 119-131, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Heat waves; Worker productivity; Economic losses; Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • C68 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computable General Equilibrium Models
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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