Climate change in an ageing world

HelpAge position paper

Climate change in an ageing world

Contents

2 Introduction
2
Older people at risk
3
Extreme events due to

climate change
5
Impacts on older people’s

wellbeing and access to
resources
10 Conclusion

Key messages
•

A binding framework to limit carbon emissions and the
resulting temperature increase to below 2°C is urgently
needed to mitigate the most dangerous impacts of
climate change. Even with such an agreement, climate
change will continue to pose significant and specific
risks for older people.

•

National climate change strategies must be inclusive of
the capabilities, rights and vulnerabilities of older people
to reflect the convergence of population ageing and
climate change.

•

The full participation of people of all ages in these
strategies is essential to their success.

HelpAge position paper

Introduction

Ageing by
numbers
12.3%

of today’s population
are 60+
(Source: UNDESA Population Division, World Popuation
prospects: the 2015 revision)

By 2050

1 in 5 people

globally will be 60+
(Source: UNDESA Population Division, World Popuation
prospects: the 2015 revision)

2/3

of people
aged 60+
currently live
in developing
countries

(Source: UNDESA Population Division, World Popuation
prospects: the 2015 revision)

In 2050 the
proportion of
people aged 60+
projected to live
in developing
countries is

4/5

(Source: UNDESA Population Division, World Popuation
prospects: the 2015 revision)

75%

75%

of those who died
during Hurricane
Katrina in 2005
were aged over
60 (16% of local
population)

(Source: N Wilson, Public Policy and Ageing Report, 2006)

2

The impact of climate change on an ageing global population is creating a
nexus of vulnerability which is set to increase over the coming decades.
Scientific consensus has been reached that the earth’s climate is warming.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that
climate change is already causing increases in global average air and ocean
temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising average sea
levels and that it is extremely likely (95% probability or higher) this is due to
human activity.1 At the same time, the world’s population is ageing. By 2050,
over 21 per cent of the global population will be 60 or over.
The effects of climate change are already being experienced globally through
more extreme weather events and the resulting impacts on people’s lives,
health and wellbeing. Growing proportions of older people are increasingly
exposed to risks, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which are
the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. There is growing
political consensus that coordinated global action is required to mitigate
climate change and to develop strategies to adapt to current and future
impacts.
For the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, the 2015 Paris Climate
Conference, or COP21, aims to achieve a legally binding and universal
agreement on climate change, with the goal of keeping global warming below
2°C. A total of 190 countries have already submitted nationally determined
contributions, which will determine whether and how the world implements
the COP21 agreement and embarks on a path towards a low-carbon, climateresilient future.
The need to address the threat of climate change to development progress has
been further reflected in the outcomes and frameworks from three other major
conferences and summits of 2015: the Sustainable Development Goals, the
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Addis Ababa Action
Agenda (the outcome of the Third International Conference on Financing for
Development). Older people have been recognised for the first time as a
stakeholder group within the Sendai Framework, and the Sustainable
Development Goals include specific references to all ages and older people.
The implementation of the COP21 framework and climate-focused targets
within the SDGs and Sendai must reflect the context of an ageing world.
To be successful, the national-level commitments resulting from COP21 must
respond to the rights and needs of older people and other at-risk groups.
This paper outlines the impacts of climate change which are currently being
experienced as evidenced by the IPCC and identifies the current and future
implications for older people, including an assessment of how livelihoods,
healthcare, nutrition and energy are particularly affected by our changing
climate. It reiterates the global call for an immediate binding agreement during
COP21 and makes 10 recommendations to ensure that the national
commitments, which will form the basis of its implementation, address the
specific needs of older people.

Older people at risk
Two-thirds of people aged 60 or over live in low- and middle-income countries
where disasters are more likely to happen. While climate change affects
everyone, there is a growing body of evidence that it poses specific risks for
older people. Older people are more vulnerable to the effects of temperature
extremes and have a significantly higher mortality risk in extreme weather

HelpAge position paper

events.2 They are at greater risk because of increased susceptibility to disease,
reduced mobility and the effects of stresses on the food and water supply.
Social and economic factors may also increase the vulnerability of some older
people. The combination of chronic health problems and social isolation in
addition to more limited access to services, which are often concentrated
among older people, can reduce their capacity to cope with climate-related
stresses.3 Minor conditions can quickly become major challenges that
overwhelm an older person’s ability to cope.
Every older person will face different vulnerabilities to specific impacts of
climate change, which may change over the life course. For example, a US
study showed that people aged 85 or over are more likely to suffer negative
health effects from climate change because of physical decline or frailty.4
At the same time, every older person has a range of different capacities to cope
with the impacts of climate change. Many older people play a valuable role in
their families and communities, especially in crises. Their experience can
provide vital information on past climatic histories, hazard and disaster
impacts, a community’s vulnerabilities and capacities, or socio-environmental
relationships, and can be key to understanding the nature of climatic
vulnerability. It is therefore vital that climate mitigation and adaptation
strategies are inclusive of older people in order to maximise these capacities in
addition to addressing their rights and vulnerabilities.

Extreme events due to climate change
Extreme weather events are projected to become more frequent and intense as
average global temperatures continue to increase. Floods, droughts and
heatwaves are among the key risks of global warming that will pose the
greatest threat to humans in the future, according to the IPCC, which
examined rising temperatures as a series of comprehensive global risks.5
These will lead to loss of life, and increasingly to the breakdown of critical
infrastructure such as electricity, water supply, health and emergency services.
In addition, they will disrupt food production, cause damage to settlements
and consequences for mental health and wellbeing.6
During emergencies, frail or housebound older people may be less able or less
willing to flee from potential harm. They can struggle to obtain food, travel
long distances or endure short periods without shelter.7 After a disaster, there
is a focus on immediate relief, but this is often not appropriate for or accessible
to older people. In the medium-term, emergency health services need to
respond to the ongoing needs of older people, especially for chronic conditions
such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, respiratory illness, rheumatism and
dementia.
Loss of family members, carers and community ties can also leave older people
isolated. Coping with day-to-day life after a disaster can be difficult; in many
cases, the psychological impact of a disaster on older people can be greater
than on other groups.8
Yet international humanitarian and national disaster management agencies are
often ill-equipped to respond to older people’s rights, specific vulnerabilities
and needs. Older people are inadequately considered in the majority of
humanitarian responses and are often over-represented in mortality and
morbidity rates from the impact of disaster.9

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HelpAge position paper

Floods

Robin Wyatt/ HelpAge International

When flooding struck my village,
water came into my house right
up to my waist. I picked up my
grandchild and held him tight.
Eventually we were rescued
and taken to the village temple
where we stayed for 10 days. I’m
now working with people in my
community to support disaster
risk reduction. I like being part of
the decision-making on matters
that affect us.
Noom, 80, Thailand

In recent years, the number of people exposed to river floods and the effects of
sea level rise has increased and is projected to continue to increase with the
level of warming over the remainder of the century.
Source: IPCC, 2014
Older people tend to experience greater impacts from flood events and a
greater incidence of flood-related disease and higher rates of mortality. Floods
often result in higher mortality rates among older people than other age
groups due to direct causes such as drowning, in addition to secondary health
impacts, such as hypothermia and heart problems.10 Flooding may also restrict
an individual’s access to medicine, or make it difficult to obtain appropriate
medical attention in an emergency. Flood events can directly impact on local
medical services and also affect the wider community, given that it may be
necessary for hospitals to postpone routine or other non-urgent medical
treatments.11
Older people are less likely to be reached by flood warnings or be able to
respond to them once they do due to mobility restrictions.12 Water
contamination due to flooding is more likely to have greater impact on older
people due to their less responsive immune systems.13
Recommendation 1: Ensure that the Paris framework results in a structural
agreement to address loss and damage in relation to climate change impacts
which are already occurring. Ensure that national level adaptation funding
includes disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning for flood events as
well as strategies which engage older people in river basin management and
urban planning to manage the risk of flooding.

Typhoons and hurricanes
The frequency of the most intense storms is likely to increase substantially in
some areas with precipitation making landfall more likely in many parts of
America, Africa and Asia.
Source: IPCC, 2014

Florence Lang/ HelpAge Deutschland

Typhoon Haiyan was the
most powerful we have ever
experienced in my community. We
couldn’t evacuate as we had no
footbridge to cross the river which
had broken its banks. Our houses
were destroyed.
Pelagia, 86, Philippines

4

There is growing evidence from national disaster loss data that older people
are disproportionately more likely to die as a result of typhoons due to mobility
difficulties, lack of evacuation assistance and inappropriate evacuation
facilities, and disrupted access to essential health and medical support.14
When older people do decide to flee, they face risks, including the possibility
of being separated from family and friends. The effects of typhoons are likely
to be more severe among older people who have reduced or declining adaptive
capacity, particularly those who are disabled, poor, chronically ill or socially
isolated. Older people may be less responsive to hurricane warnings, may have
physical impairments that make preparation more difficult, and may be less
connected to community assistance resources.15
When typhoons cause flooding, as during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, those
who have physical impairments and who lack social contacts or personal
transportation are much more likely to be victims.16 Seventy-four per cent of
the deaths related to Hurricane Katrina were people aged 60 or over, and 50
per cent of these were over 75, figures that resulted in efforts to develop
specific approaches to evacuating frail and vulnerable older people.17 During
Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, two-fifths of those who died were
older people, despite them making up only 8 per cent of the local population.18
Recommendation 2: Ensure that older people living in typhoon risk areas are
included in disaster risk reduction and preparedness planning, and have
access to inclusive early warning systems and accessible evacuation routes.

HelpAge position paper

Heatwaves
Climate change-related risks from extreme events, such as heatwaves, extreme
precipitation, and coastal flooding will increase further at higher temperatures.
Source: IPCC, 2014

My village experiences heatwaves
and with them come forest fires.
Although I worry about my
physical condition as I get older,
I help out in whatever way I can.
If disaster strikes, I know that the
first thing I must do is account for
my grandchildren and keep them
safe.
Nalor, 65, Thailand

Climate change scenarios indicate that extreme heatwaves are expected to
increase in the future, even in regions where heatwaves are not frequent.19
Demographic change combined with climate change is projected to expose
increasing numbers of people to more severe heatwaves, especially in highand middle-income and transition economies.20 Older people and young
children are the most likely to suffer health problems during heatwaves. The
World Health Organization estimates that heat exposure due to climate change
is likely to cause an additional 38,000 deaths among older people for the year
2030.21

Robin Wyatt/ HelpAge International

Individual physiological factors also interact with exposure to heat. Preexisting health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, to which older
people are at greater risk, exacerbate susceptibility.22 Social isolation and
limited income are also associated with heat-related illness among older
people. In addition, older people with more risk factors for heat-related illness
are less likely to access support, to use community centres or to take protective
action on their own because their adaptive capacity is reduced.23
Recommendation 3: Strengthen heatwave awareness and impact prevention
programmes and access to appropriate heat resilient shelters for older people.
Strengthen health services and community support mechanisms to ensure
that older people receive targeted medical support during heatwaves.

Impacts on older people’s wellbeing and access
to resources
Water security
Climate change over the 21st century is projected to reduce renewable surface
water and groundwater resources significantly in most dry sub-tropical
regions (robust evidence, high agreement), intensifying competition for water
among sectors. Climate change is projected to reduce raw water quality and
pose risks to drinking water quality.
Source: IPCC, 2014

In the past 10 years, rain patterns
have been unpredictable. There
are two boreholes where we get
water. The first is about 6km
away but the water is very salty.
When we are forced to use this
water, we experience stomach
pains and my grandchildren get
diarrhoea. The other is 15km
away and has better water. My
son brings us water using his
donkey cart.
Hareda, 87, Kenya

Water insecurity is a major source of stress and expense that particularly
affects poor older people who – due to a combination of factors including
distance, cost, design of latrines and unsuitability of water points – are often
unserved by existing services and facilities. Water scarcity poses a grave risk
for older people due to their increased susceptibility to dehydration.
Dehydration has been associated with increased mortality rates among older
people and various morbidities, such as impaired cognition or acute
confusion, falling or constipation.25
Even with conventional treatment, water quality is expected to be reduced by
climate change through increased temperatures, sedimentation and pollution
caused by increased rainfall, concentration of pollutants during droughts, and
disruption of treatment facilities during floods.26 Older people are at increased
risk of infection and disease from microbial contamination due to reduced

Gacheru Maina/ HelpAge International

The quantity and quality of water is likely to become more precarious in the
future, affecting people’s livelihoods, health and wellbeing. A high proportion
of people live in areas that are increasingly affected by water shortages
brought on by extreme weather conditions linked to climate change and
environmental degradation.24

5

HelpAge position paper

immunity, decreased liver function, or existing chronic illness. Older people
are also at greater risk of dying from waterborne infections.27
Recommendation 4: Ensure water resource management, drinking water and
irrigation systems are prioritised within adaptation strategies and that these
are accessible to older people.

Agriculture and livelihoods

Jenny Anderson/ HelpAge International

Hurricane Sandy destroyed my
plantain field and caused a
landslide which destroyed my
yam field. I had to pay people to
help clear my land. The plantain
and yam are starting to grow
back, but it will take another 9
months before they come up. We
got some vegetable seeds from
HelpAge that come in 3-6 months
for an early harvest. I sold them
and it kept me going after the
hurricane.
Matilda, 85, Jamaica

Throughout the 21st century, climate change impacts are projected to slow
down economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode
food security, and prolong existing and create new poverty traps, the latter
particularly in urban areas and emerging hotspots of hunger.
Source: IPCC, 2014
In the majority of low- and middle-income countries, most older people
continue to work well into old age. Retirement is a luxury most cannot afford.
Global figures from the UN show that more than 30 per cent of men and nearly
14 per cent of women over 65 continue to work.28 In some countries, these
figures are much higher. Most older people in low- and middle-income
countries have worked in the informal sector or subsistence agriculture most
of their lives, and are unlikely to have savings or social pensions to rely on.
Subsistence agriculture is acknowledged as one of the livelihood strategies
most at risk of climatic change. Climate change is expected to
disproportionately affect smallholder farmers through pest and disease
outbreaks, increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods, and
increased likelihood of poor yields, crop failure and livestock mortality.29 The
proportion of older farmers is significant and growing. Globally, 27.5 per cent
of agricultural smallholders are aged over 55.30 In sub-Saharan Africa, Asia
and Latin America, agriculture continues to be the most important source of
livelihood for the vast majority of economically active older people, and
particularly so for older women.
Older people have knowledge and experience of farming techniques that can
increase production and reduce waste while minimising environmental
damage. Their years of knowledge of weather patterns can make a huge
contribution to action to mitigate the impacts of a changing, less predictable
climate.31 Ecologically sound farming practices and conservation agriculture
techniques which utilise better technology and science are becoming more
central to climate adaptation thinking. Some conservation agriculture methods
are extremely labour intensive, which can reduce their accessibility for older
people. There is an urgent need for targeted government policies to support
smallholder farming including increased access to drought, flood and pest
resilient crops, promotion of accessible conservation agricultural approaches,
and increased access to scientific data and technological solutions.
Recommendation 5: Ensure that smallholder farmers are prioritised within
adaptive agricultural policies, and that these integrate the knowledge of older
farmers on resilient agricultural methods, while strengthening their access to
scientific knowledge and labour-saving technological advances. Social
protection systems should be prioritised to address the economic needs of
vulnerable older people.

Food security
All aspects of food security are potentially affected by climate change,
including food access, utilisation, and price stability.
Source: IPCC, 2014
Extreme weather and gradual changes in climate are already affecting the
quantity, quality and seasonality of food by disrupting production, trade and
local markets. Rural communities face increased risks including recurrent crop
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HelpAge position paper

Cultural norms within the household dictate who has priority access to food.
In households where food is short, older women and men often bear the brunt
of the shortage because they choose to forgo food so that younger members of
the family can eat. This can lead to malnutrition.33 During food shortages,
access to food may be further compromised due to food distribution points
being located in areas that may be difficult for older people and other
vulnerable groups to reach or due to the lack of existing safety net or social
protection programmes.34
Nutrition is also likely to be affected by climate change through reduced
access to sufficient quantities of food or key food products that households are
reliant on.35 This may include foods that are particular to the dietary needs of
older people. The impact of malnutrition can be even greater for older people.
Often there is a complexity of factors that can influence nutritional status,
including pre-existing chronic illness, medication that can affect appetite,
hydration, and how the body absorbs nutrients.36
Older people may be unable to utilise the kinds of food provided in food
distributions. For example, those who have lost teeth may find it hard to chew
hard foods, or they may find some foods difficult to digest. Access to fuel and
cooking utensils may be essential to make food edible for older people.37 Poor
health and undernutrition in turn further undermine older people’s resilience
to climatic shocks and their ability to adapt to climate change.
Recommendation 6: Adaptation strategies should strengthen food security
through supporting increased food production, while supporting the
establishment of nationally owned social protection schemes (including the
delivery of direct nutrition interventions) that contribute to ensuring the
realisation of the right to adequate food for all. Food relief distribution
programmes need to ensure accessibility for older people and other vulnerable
households, while ensuring that food products are appropriate for their dietary
needs.

Health
Throughout the 21st century, climate change is expected to lead to increases
in ill-health in many regions and especially in developing countries with low
income.
Source: IPCC, 2014
The World Health Organization held its first conference on health and climate
in 2014 and concluded that climate change causes unacceptable global risks
to public health.38 As temperatures rise and water and food resources become
more precarious and changeable, the health impacts on increasing numbers of
people could be significant.
The recent Lancet climate commission highlights older people as a group
particularly vulnerable to the health effects of climate change.39 This is often
because of existing socioeconomic inequalities, cultural norms, or intrinsic
physiological factors. It has been estimated that 99 per cent of the health
impacts of climate change will affect developing countries.40

For the last three years the
drought was the worst I have ever
seen. I heard of people dying in
the area and I made a decision.
If we had remained in Somalia
my family would have died. Since
the journey I have had many
problems. I can barely stand or
walk without my walking stick
and I also have headaches and
pain in my abdomen.
Ali from Somalia, now living
in Kenya

Benjamin Schilling/ HelpAge International

Local markets may also be disrupted by extreme weather which may adversely
affect the availability of food for older people and other vulnerable groups.
This in turn could increase the prices of major crops in some regions.
Households with low income and older people with reduced access to income
will be hit hardest by price rises and volatility, and in cases may reduce the
amount of food they consume as a result.32

Ten years ago, there was always
somewhere to go to for better
pasture. Meat and milk all used
to be available. This drought
is different. Now there are no
pastures, no water and no rain. I
am 60 and I’ve never seen such
drought. I’ve given my remaining
livestock to my relatives to look
after for me. The rest have died
due to the drought. Now I survive
on the relief food we have been
receiving every two months.
Mohamed, 60, Kenya

Gacheru Maina/ HelpAge International

failure, loss of livestock and reduced availability of fisheries and forest
products. Changing temperatures and weather patterns create conditions for
the emergence of new pests and diseases directly affecting the quality and
quantity of yields as well as the availability and price of food, feed and fibre.

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HelpAge position paper

Older people are often more susceptible to infectious disease, and as
environments change, so will disease patterns and prevalence. In developing
countries, this susceptibility is exacerbated by poverty and malnutrition, poor
infrastructure and the lack of resources to treat their specific needs. A higher
proportion of severe forms of malaria has been reported to be associated with
older individuals without immunity, compared with younger adults.41 A study
by HelpAge and Médecins Sans Frontières found that older people suffered
more from the impact of cholera in Haiti than other groups.42
In addition, the changing climate and environment is altering infectious
disease patterns and increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, sensory-organ disease
and dementia.43 NCDs do not only affect people in wealthy countries; 80 per
cent of global deaths due to NCDs occur in low- and middle-income countries44
and older people are particularly at risk. This is a chronic health security
issue, which will be further exacerbated by the changing climate, mainly due
to temperature increases and indoor and outdoor air pollution. For example, air
pollution is known to increase the incidence of cardiovascular disease and
respiratory illness.45
Recommendation 7: Invest in healthcare systems and basic public health
measures such as provision of clean water and sanitation, to ensure that they
are climate resilient and responsive to older people, especially in areas where
chronic and non-communicable diseases, infectious diseases and
psychological conditions can be exacerbated by climate change.

Migration and displacement

Jotishankor Adhikary/Bohubrihi

I was displaced from my own
land in Jamalpur on the bank of
the Jamuna River. All of our land
and our home were swept away
by a flood in one night. So we had
to move and start a new life in
another district.
Bishu, 67, Bangladesh

Climate change over the 21st century is projected to increase displacement of
people. Displacement risk increases when populations that lack the resources
for planned migration experience higher exposure to extreme weather events,
in both rural and urban areas, particularly in developing countries with low
income.
Source: IPCC, 2014
As more people migrate to cities or are forcibly displaced due to extreme
weather and climate stresses, older people are increasingly vulnerable. There
is a growing body of evidence that shows older people often stay behind in
hazardous environments when the rest of their community is displaced. This
is because they may not be physically capable of making the journey to safety
due to ill-health or disability. They may be unable to either keep up with their
family or risk slowing down their progress. In addition, they may feel tied to
their home and lands and decide not to leave. When older people do move,
migration and displacement in later life can be particularly traumatic, due to
severed social ties, lack of facilities, rights and protection in unfamiliar new
environments.46
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognises
older displaced people as among the most at-risk individuals, characterising
them as “persons with special needs” alongside chronically ill or disabled
people, and those who have experienced very high levels of trauma. Older
people will be confronted with specific challenges at each stage of the
displacement cycle – the flight, the period of displacement and the process of
return, resettlement or local integration.47 Prolonged displacement can have a
particularly devastating impact on family ties and the community support
available to older people.
Older women require specific attention. Due to their longer life expectancy,
they outnumber men and are more likely to be living alone. In addition, in
many IDP (internally displaced people) and refugee camps, older women take
on the responsibility of supporting children whose parents have died or
migrated elsewhere. Some of the main challenges to protect the rights of older

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HelpAge position paper

displaced people include obtaining access to vulnerable older people who stay
behind; securing identification and documentation; providing for basic needs
and healthcare; reuniting them with families; and ensuring access to social
support and income.48
Recommendation 8: Prioritise the establishment of a Climate Change
Displacement Coordination Facility under the Paris agreement to provide
assistance to people displaced by the impacts of climate change with a
particular focus on certain groups such as older persons. Ensure that IDP and
refugee programmes are adequately targeted towards the needs and rights of
older people and that older people are supported when they remain in
environmentally risky areas.

Urbanisation

By 2030, two-thirds of the world’s population will reside in cities. The major
urban areas in high- and middle-income countries will have 25 per cent or
more of their population aged 60 or over.49
In most cities, poor people live in the riskiest urban environments – for
instance on floodplains or other areas at high risk of flooding or unstable
slopes. People living in informal settlements are among those that are
particularly vulnerable to climate shocks due to being located on dangerous
sites (for instance on floodplains), living in poor quality housing and lacking
protective infrastructure. These populations are very vulnerable to any
increases in the frequency or intensity of storms, floods or heatwaves, and to
increased risk of disease, constraints on water supplies or rises in food
prices.50 Within many urban centres, the lack of adequate drainage means that
relatively minor rainstorms cause serious flooding.51 Higher temperatures
occur in urban areas than in outlying rural areas due to absorption and
re-radiation of solar energy and heat from built or paved physical structures.
These increase the frequency and severity of heat-stress events in cities.52

In the past this was good
farmland. Now it no longer rains
properly, and we can no longer
live here. Because of the change
in the climate my children have
moved away. I too moved to the
city, but because I’m old now I
had to return to my community.
Juan, 71, Bolivia

Lisett Larico/ HelpAge Bolivia

Many global risks of climate change are concentrated in urban areas. Heat
stress, extreme precipitation, inland and coastal flooding, landslides, air
pollution, drought, and water scarcity pose risks in urban areas for people,
assets, economies, and ecosystems. Risks are amplified for those lacking
essential infrastructure and services or living in poor-quality housing and
exposed areas.
Source: IPCC, 2014

Older men and women face particular vulnerabilities that need consideration
– for instance, high temperatures in urban areas have a direct impact on older
people’s health and are associated with heat-related stress and excess summer
deaths.53 In addition, increased flood risk due to high population densities are
being exacerbated by climate change, increasing the vulnerability of older
people in urban areas both to floods and water contamination.54
As populations of older people increase in urban areas, the quality of global
and local ecosystems and access to services will play an increasingly
important role in public health on issues ranging from solid waste disposal,
provision of safe water and sanitation, and injury prevention, to the interface
between urban poverty, environment and health.55
Improving housing and services, and building resilient infrastructure systems
for older people and other at-risk groups could significantly reduce
vulnerability and exposure in urban areas. Increased capacity, voice, and
influence of older people, low-income groups and vulnerable communities and
their partnerships with local governments will benefit adaptation strategies.
Recommendation 9: Develop age-friendly cities and urban areas through
comprehensive and inclusive urban planning processes, which address the
infrastructure and economic, employment, social and wellbeing needs of
ageing urban and migratory populations.
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HelpAge position paper

Energy and resource poverty

Azuma Nakahira/ HelpAge International

The blackout means we have no
electricity from 11am to 3pm and
from 11pm to 6am. The price of
electricity has increased since
last year. Heating is the main
problem. We bought a ton of
coal to last the whole winter, but
it’s not enough so I usually use
animal dung for heating during
the day. We try not to use coal
very often, only on very cold days.
Imin, 79, Kyrgyzstan

As well as having a large potential to mitigate climate change, renewable
energy may, if implemented properly, contribute to social and economic
development, energy access, a secure energy supply, and reducing negative
impacts on the environment and health.
Source: IPCC, 2011
The rate and magnitude of climate change has and will continue to affect
biodiversity and natural resources with negative consequences for human
wellbeing.56 Climate change adds to existing pressures on the land, water and
energy resources and brings to light difficult choices about how to manage
these resources and continue to supply a range of goods and services.57
Vulnerable people are likely to be the most affected by degradation of natural
resources and competition for these resources. Older people are often among
the most resource-poor and are already suffering from land grabbing and
scarcity of water and other resources. They are often fuel-poor due to low
income, increased heating needs, especially in colder climates, and the long
hours they spend at home.58 In many low- and middle-income countries, they
are also considered “energy poor” as access to fuel is often difficult. It is
estimated that 1.3 billion people are living in energy poverty.59 As fuel prices
increase due to dwindling resources, the poorest and most marginalised,
including older people, will be the hardest hit. This problem is often more
pronounced in colder climates across Europe and Central Asia.60 However, this
is also true in warmer climates where fuel is also needed for cooking, lighting,
livelihoods and safety. Without support and protection to ensure older people
can afford the rising costs of energy services in later life, vulnerabilities could
arise, despite development gains.
In the face of a changing climate, renewable energy offers the prospects of
both the energy access that everyone deserves, and a stronger buffer against
the global effects of climate change that many are already experiencing. There
is evidence that most of the energy needs of poor people in rural areas in
developing countries can be met by harnessing local, clean energy resources
with minimum environmental impact on climate change.61 However, older
people often lack information on renewable energy options, or the finance and
technology required to access renewable energy. It is essential older people
and other energy poor people have access to renewable clean energy and that
their voices and concerns are considered in energy planning and policy.
Recommendation 10: Ensure that climate mitigation and adaptation strategies
prioritise access to clean and sustainable energy for older people in order to
reduce fuel poverty, contribute to carbon mitigation and strengthen resilience.

“The desire to live in a safe and
secure planet does not diminish
with age. For us to create a
sustainable future for our
planet, we have to ensure every
stage of the life course is
considered in development and
climate change discussions.” 62
Rosita Kornfeld-Matte, UN
Independent Expert on the
Enjoyment of All Human Rights by
Older Persons

10

Conclusion
Older people are already profoundly affected by the impacts of climate change.
These impacts are set to increase due to the combination of increased stress
factors from climate change leading to mortality, poor health and reduced
access to food and other resources, and global population ageing. Adaptation
and mitigation choices made now will affect the consequences of climate
change throughout the 21st century.63
It is vital that the binding framework agreed at COP21 and the national
adaptation and mitigation strategies and commitments that arise from it, take
into account ageing populations and their specific vulnerabilities. Without
specific policies and more services for older people and strategies for an
ageing population in a changing climate, marginalised older people will be
pushed further to the edge of safety and survival.

HelpAge position paper

Note on IPCC sources
These are taken from the IPCC Climate Change 2014: Synthesis report, fifth assessment report;
Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability; IPCC Special Report on Renewable
Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation, 2011. The contents remain true to IPCC reports,
however wording in some statements has been edited to be more concise.

End notes
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HelpAge position paper

HelpAge International helps older
people claim their rights, challenge
discimination and overcome
poverty, so that they can lead
dignified, secure and healthy lives.

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The HelpAge International network is
active in over 65 countries.
This briefing was written by
Clodagh Byrne and Clare Harris with
contributions from Mark Gorman,
Charlotte Aberdein, Bridget Sleap,
Sion Jones, Marcus Skinner and
edited by Karen Porter.

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Design by Dama Sathianathan
Front cover photo: Glyn Riley/
HelpAge International

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License, https://creativecommons.
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ISBN 978-1-910743-03-4
IDLON0147

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