On Earth Day, 911吃瓜 conference highlights climate risks and the role of older Canadians in climate action
On Earth Day (April 22), 911吃瓜 will host a landmark conference highlighting climate risks and the role of older Canadians in climate action.
Older Canadians are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, from extreme heat and wildfire smoke to flooding and poor air quality 鈥� while also playing an important role in responding to these challenges through community action, knowledge sharing and climate engagement.
These issues will take centre stage at the 33rd John K. Friesen Conference, Climate Change in an Aging World, sponsored by the Gerontology Research Centre (GRC) at 911吃瓜鈥檚 Harbour Centre campus on April 22鈥�23. Members of the public, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers are invited to attend.
As articulated by the GRC Director and conference co-chair, Professor Andrew Wister, 鈥渢he conference will bring together experts, policymakers and community organisations from across Canada and internationally to explore both the risks climate change poses to older populations and the important contributions older people make to climate resilience and education.鈥�
Canada is ageing rapidly, with approximately 7.6 million people aged 65 and over 鈥� nearly one in five Canadians 鈥� and this proportion is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. At the same time, climate-related risks are intensifying across the country, with increasing exposure to extreme heat, wildfire smoke, flooding and air pollution.
鈥淥lder Canadians are on the front line of climate change, yet they are also part of the solution,鈥� says Professor Emeritus Gloria Gutman, conference co-chair and a leading expert in gerontology.
鈥淲e are seeing both the impacts and the contributions of older people in responding to climate change. This conference highlights the need for inclusive approaches that recognise their role in strengthening community resilience and advancing climate action.鈥�
The conference builds on earlier work in this area, including a landmark event held in 2011, and reflects growing global attention to the intersection of climate change and ageing. Canada is once again playing a leading role in advancing understanding of how climate risks and responses intersect across the life course.
Extreme heat is already a significant and growing health risk in Canada. A 2021 heat event in British Columbia resulted in 619 heat-related deaths 鈥� the deadliest weather event in Canadian history 鈥� with older adults experiencing the highest rates of severe outcomes,
including hospitalisation and death. Thousands of emergency department visits occur each year because of heat-related illness.
Climate projections show these risks will continue to increase. Canada is warming at more than twice the global average, and 2026 is expected to be among the hottest years on record globally.
The conference will also highlight practical responses already underway across Canada, including research on how older adults experience extreme heat, housing conditions, and community-based approaches to climate resilience.
Two keynote speakers will provide international and public perspectives. Dr. Gary Haq, a human ecologist at the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York (UK), will speak on global climate risks and resilience. Professor Sean Holman from the University of Victoria will deliver a public lecture on climate communication and public understanding.
Registration is open and attendees from across Canada are encouraged to take part:
AVAILABLE EXPERTS
Gloria Gutman
Professor Emeritus and conference co-chair
911吃瓜
CONTACT
Sarah Qiu, Communications Coordinator, Alumni Outreach and Community
911吃瓜 Gerontology Research Centre
E-mail: gerocom@sfu.ca