Extreme heat could cost Cyprus between €2.3 billion and €3.8 billion by 2050 if workplaces are not adapted to deal with rising temperatures, according to a new study by the Cyprus Institute released on Wednesday.

The study found that hotter and more frequent heatwaves could force workers in outdoor and poorly cooled workplaces to reduce their working hours or stop work during unsafe conditions.

Researchers examined the impact of extreme heat on sectors including construction, agriculture and tourism, where employees are more exposed to high temperatures and direct sunlight.

The study compared current conditions with the period between 1980 and 2020 and found that workers are expected to face more days when temperatures become dangerous for normal working conditions.

The economic impact could reach €101 million by 2030 due to lost working hours and reduced productivity, rising to around €303 million annually by 2050.

Without measures to protect workers and adapt workplaces, the total cost to the economy over the next 25 years could reach between €2.3 billion and €3.8 billion, researchers estimated.

Professor Theodore Zachariades, one of the study’s authors, said the research was the first to calculate the economic impact of lost working hours caused by extreme heat using Cyprus specific data.

Zachariades warned that “the cost to the economy will be significant as the intensity and duration of very hot days increase in the coming years”.

He added that the effects on workers most exposed to high temperatures “may also be serious” and require measures to protect their health and ability to work.

The institute said the findings draw attention to the need to reduce the impact of rising temperatures on employees and the economy.