Climate change threat to elderly

Older people have higher energy needs

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Councils should be developing strategies to protect older people against climate change, according to new research.

The first national report to examine the impact of climate change on an ageing population, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York and charity Help the Aged, calls on local authorities to use local and multi area agreements to devise strategies to tackle both issues.

Mervyn Kohler, Help the Aged special adviser and co-author, said the study showed that older people were both the greatest contributors to climate change and were the most vulnerable to its effects.

"The baby boomer generation is relatively wealthy and the things they spend money on tend to add up to a higher carbon footprint. At the same time frail older people have higher energy consumption," he said.

Councils' main role is in making sure that older people's homes are well insulated, he said.

They should also consider how town planning can encourage older people to be more active to make them less vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

"The most sensible way for councils to tackle these challenges is through joined up policies in local area agreements," he added.

Growing Old in a Changing Climate also calls for the introduction of a national older people and climate change group to develop a national policy framework.