Reduced productivity, power plants shut down, harvests delayed, trains cancelled... The heatwave is putting a damper on the economy

Behind one degree higher lies several million euros less. A heatwave could cost France 0.3 points of GDP, or more than 9 billion euros, according to a study by Allianz Trade based on the twelve days of the heatwave at the end of June. Billions that could disappear a second time this summer since a new heatwave began on Friday, August 8 in France. According to the insurer, a day when the thermometer exceeds 32°C would be equivalent to a half-day of strike for the French economy. A major drag when the growth forecast drawn up by the Banque de France is 0.6% in 2025.

Because the higher the mercury rises, the lower worker productivity. Above 33°C, work efficiency drops by 50%, according to a 2019 study by the International Labour Organization (ILO). "If workers of all