Bridging Divides: Advancing Cross-Sector Heat Resilience

As farmers struggle with lower yields, many rely on the Federal Crop Insurance Program to recover a portion of what they’ve lost. These insurance claims offer a window into the hidden costs of rising heat on agriculture.

Heat exposure has increased over the last two decades, significantly reducing workforce efficiency and leading to substantial financial losses for companies and communities alike. By comparing current conditions with what productivity would look like at cooler temperatures, this research reveals the hidden extent of heat’s impact on workability and the economy.

This study quantifies how rising temperatures have eroded US economic productivity over the past two decades, especially in heat-exposed industries. Using high-resolution hourly weather data and multiple labor productivity models, the authors estimate that heat-related productivity losses grew from a model average of $130 billion in 2001 to $220 billion in 2023.

Extreme heat is increasingly causing disruptions to critical infrastructure across sectors. With more frequent and intense heatwaves, infrastructure designed for milder conditions is being stressed beyond its capacity, resulting in higher maintenance demands and limited effectiveness of mitigation measures.