cover image: An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh

An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh

7 Nov 2024

A manifestation of climate change, temperature increases in Bangladesh are increasing at an alarming rate, with frequent bouts of extreme heat events. In 43 years, between 1980 and 2023, maximum temperature in the country increased by 1.1°C, while the “feels like” temperature rose by 4.5°C over the same duration. How does increasing exposure to excess heat affect the physical and mental health outcomes of individuals and their productivity in the short term? An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh analyzes temperature changes in Bangladesh between 1976 and 2023. The study then uses primary data collected in 2024 from a two-round household survey covering more than 16,000 individuals in Bangladesh to quantify the adverse effect of rising temperatures on specific physical and mental health conditions as well as productivity losses. Using the findings, the report serves three main purposes: (1) provide localized evidence that links the effect of heat on health and recommend effective adaptation measures to reduce the vulnerabilities of the Bangladeshi population to heat; (2) quantify economic losses borne by the country due to global warming to assist Bangladeshi policy makers in leveraging international support and financing to mitigate the impacts; and (3) add evidence to the global discourse on heat and human physical and mental health, and loss of productivity. The evidence presented in this report underscores the immediate need for comprehensive strategies to address the escalating health risks posed by climate change, notably heat, in Bangladesh. Interventions that can help individuals moderate the effects of heat on their health are critical to ensure the well-being of the Bangladeshi population. Learning from best practices of climate-comparable countries and leveraging localized information, Bangladesh can create a more resilient future to better address the impacts of climate change.
health climate change extreme heat economic implications environment::adaptation to climate change health, nutrition and population::health economics & finance health, nutrition and population::health indicators

Authors

Mahmud, Iffat, Azfar Raza, Wameq, Shabab Wahid, Syed

Citation
“ Mahmud, Iffat ; Azfar Raza, Wameq ; Shabab Wahid, Syed . 2024 . An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh . International Development in Focus . © Washington, DC: World Bank . http://hdl.handle.net/10986/42377 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO . ”
Collection(s)
International Development in Focus
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-2172-1
ISBN
978-1-4648-2172-1
Pages
110
Published in
United States of America
Region country
Bangladesh
RelationisPartofseries
International Development in Focus
Rights
CC BY 3.0 IGO
Rights Holder
World Bank
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
UNIT
SACBB
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10986/42377
date disclosure
2024-11-07
region administrative
South Asia

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