The cost of lost labour on a warming planet
Credit: Joe Proudman/UC Davis
One way to measure the far-reaching effects of climate change is the social cost of carbon (SCC): the estimated monetary cost of emitting one extra tonne of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But most SCC estimates don’t account fully for the global cost of labour lost through heat stress. Because abnormally hot and humid conditions pose a serious risk to health, workers are forced to slow down, work fewer hours and take more breaks (pictured), lowering productivity.
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Nature 658, 42 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02971-x
Competing Interests
The author declares no competing interests.
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