Growing Old in a Changing Climate

Abstract

An aging society and a changing climate are two key policy challenges that need to be addressed to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ensure a safe, secure, equitable, and sustainable future. By the end of the century, the global surface temperature is likely to increase by 1.5 °C to 2 °C although the 2015 Paris Agreement aims to reduce emissions and limit warming to below 2 °C (IPCC, 2013). As the planet warms, we can expect climate-related extremes, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones, and wildfires. Increasing climate variability will have direct and indirect effects on human health and well-being, especially of vulnerable groups (McMichael, Montgomery, & Castello, 2012). An ageing society and a changing climate are two key policy challenges which need to be addressed to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ensure a safe, secure, equitable and sustainable future. Although many older people are healthy and socially and economically active, others are not, rendering them physically, financially, and/or emotionally less resilient in coping with a changing climate (Haq, Whitelegg, & Kohler, 2008; Sánchez-Gonzalez and Chávez-Alvardo, 2016). Understanding the factors that contribute to older people’s vulnerability and resilience can therefore strengthen the capacity of government to prevent and minimize climate-related impacts on this demographic group.