Climate change in an ageing world - position paper

This paper outlines the impacts of climate change which are currently being experienced as evidenced by the IPCC. The paper identifies the current and future implications of this 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.

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.