Trend More heat-related illness, deaths and productivity loss

Summary

The report expects more heat-related illness, hospital admissions and deaths during heatwaves to bring greater human suffering and higher costs to the Netherlands. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, days of extreme heat stress increased in 2023, and the report identifies heat stress as the largest climate risk for public health. In sectors where people work outdoors or in poorly cooled indoor spaces, labour productivity can fall on very hot days. Summer electricity use will also rise as demand for air conditioning and cooling grows. The report explains that governments, citizens and businesses will all share these costs, and that the health burden falls especially on people whose health is already weaker.