German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
2026
A single heat day costs the German economy 431 million euros. Our study for the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) examines how preventive, climate-change-friendly occupational safety measures can help to mitigate the damage.
Our analysis reveals how profoundly heat affects everyday working life. One day with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius causes:
Heat acts primarily as a “silent” productivity factor: most employees continue to work – but less efficiently.
Work areas involving high physical exertion or outdoor activities are particularly affected:
The calculation does not take into account other potential burdens, such as extreme years and heat waves or long-term health consequences. The true costs are therefore likely to be higher.
Based on the climate projections of the German Weather Service (DWD), the RCP8.5 scenario predicts the following additional annual burdens:
Climate adaptation in occupational safety must therefore be tailored to each region – there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution.
The results clearly show that occupational safety is a strategic lever for climate adaptation – and an economic imperative. Every euro invested in preventive, climate-change-friendly occupational safety helps to avoid billions in damage in the future.
Our study is the first to systematically quantify the heat-related costs for companies in Germany.
The following aspects were taken into account:
To the study (PDF, in German)
Further information on the BMAS website (in German)
Project team: Oliver Lühr, Sina Rühland, Lukas Sander, Paulin Zahn
Last update: 21.04.2026
Senior Project Manager | Head of Climate Impacts and Adaptation
Director | Partner, Head of the Climate, Resources and Resilience Unit
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