BERLIN, Feb 19 (Reuters) - German productivity could fall by 12 percent by 2100 as temperatures soar because of climate change while thousands more people will suffer heat-related deaths, a new study said on Monday.

The study, conducted by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), forecast that the number of German "hot days" -- when temperatures rise above 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) -- will climb substantially by the end of the century with "tragic" consequences.

It said heat-related deaths could rise by 5,000 to 15,000 annually, while people admitted to hospital for symptoms caused by heat strain could increase sixfold to 150,000 annually, resulting in surging hospital costs of up to 700 million euros ($920.1 million).

"The greatest costs, however, will be caused by the diminished ability of workers to be as productive as usual on extremely hot days," the Kiel Institute and WWF said in a joint statement.

"Decreases in productivity of up to 12 percent could cause losses to the economy of up to 10 billion euros."

Germany, which holds the rotating presidencies of the European Union and Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations, has vowed to put climate change at the top of its agenda.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she wants to make progress on a framework agreement to reduce greenhouse gases after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

Her coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD), however, is divided on energy policy and initially resisted EU demands that it further reduce a cap on carbon emissions.

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