Extreme heat is becoming a major threat to Europe’s economy, disrupting industries that rely on outdoor work and exposing gaps in worker protection. Annual economic losses caused by weather-and climate-related extreme events in the EU Member StatesSource: CATDAT, RiskLayer GmbH/European Environmental Agency. "Compared with storms or floods, extreme heat less often shows up as direct damage," notes the report. And although France topped the ranking in absolute economic losses, Italy, Spain and Germany followed close behind. "Extreme heat and heatwaves are structural hazards that pose risks across multiple sectors and the wider economy," Arianna Giannetti, a climate expert at the EEA, told EUobserver.