"Time is running out, but we can still turn the tide". The struggle of elderly people for climate

Text Matthias Van Milders - Photos Kristof Vadino, WSM, Grandparents for Climate

This article originally appeared in the December 2024 OKRA Magazine.

Unfortunately, the state of the climate is not one to be cheerful about. The world is not at all on track to meet the agreed climate targets. We are heading for a warming of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius, while the target is less than 2 degrees and preferably even only 1.5 degrees. So says the United Nations environment agency (UNEP).

Such a rise in temperature has major consequences, today and even more so in the future. Just think of extreme temperatures, droughts and forest fires, floods, shortage of drinking water, rising sea levels causing habitats to disappear, extreme weather (see also the piece on tropical cyclones in the 'Everything you need to know about' section). The consequences hit vulnerable countries hardest. "For a long time, climate change was looked at from the point of view of the Global North (the high-income countries - ed.)," says Bismo Sanyoto, coordinator of WSM (formerly World Solidarity) in Asia. "Typical was the well-known image of a polar bear amid melting ice at the North Pole. What you didn't see were the droughts in Africa, the floods in Bangladesh or the avalanches in Nepal. But they do exist. More so, the countries that have contributed the least to climate change are bearing the brunt of it."

Violation of rights of the elderly

What climate change really means becomes clear when you look at the impact on the lives of people, and specifically the elderly. Bernard Hubeau, co-chair of Grandparents for Climate, points to a United Nations report from 2021. In it, it is stated that the elderly face a greater impact from climate change. Their rights are being widely violated as a result. The elderly, along with children, are most at risk of excess mortality, being a higher number of deaths than you would expect under normal circumstances. HelpAge International, an NGO working to improve the lives of the elderly, sees four causes for this: the elderly are more vulnerable to natural disasters, they are more susceptible to cold and heat stress, they bear the consequences of longer exposure to air pollution, and they are more likely to have diseases such as dementia and diabetes that make people more vulnerable to climate change.

Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are more affected by climate change, and so are the elderly living there, says Bismo Sanyoto. "In natural disasters in the Global North, people have sufficient infrastructure and social protection to protect them. In the Global South, there is a great lack of this, which then affects the elderly even more. And they are at greater risk in a tropical cyclone, a flood or a landslide. You also see that in the longer term, younger people move away from areas affected by such a disaster. They then go elsewhere to find work and the older people stay behind. In Asia and Africa, the relationship between the elderly and their families is often very close. In fact, you can think of the family as the social security of the elderly. If those family members move away due to climate disasters, the elderly are left behind with no income and no social safety net."

"But the impact of climate change on the elderly goes beyond individual suffering," Dr Mahjebin Chowdhury explains about the situation in Bangladesh. She works there for the health organisation Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK), a partner of WSM with which OKRA collaborates on elderly rights. "These impacts weaken the fabric of society. Elderly people preserve the knowledge, cultural practices and traditions passed down from generation to generation. They are often the main caregivers for young children, allowing parents to work. Their physical and mental well-being is crucial for the social and cultural continuity of communities. A society that does not protect its elders weakens its foundations."

The fact that climate change is hitting harder in Africa, Asia and Latin America does not mean Europe will escape. The World Weather Attribution links the deadly floods in Wallonia and elsewhere in Europe in July 2021 to climate change. So was the recent deadly flooding in Spain. More generally, the EU's Directorate-General for Climate Action argues that with an ageing population, more Europeans will be vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Climate justice

So not everyone is equally affected by the consequences of climate change. To address this, NGOs and others are pushing the concept of 'climate justice'. In this view, the climate crisis is part of a system and social, political and economic changes are needed. The goal, according to Oxfam, is to "correct past and present injustices, redistribute power and prioritise those who are most affected but bear the least responsibility." Bernard Hubeau says that "climate policy must not leave anyone behind and must be linked to intensive social policies."

"Global North countries must finally deliver on their promises of climate finance," believes Bismo Sanyoto. For a year now, there has been an international fund to compensate for climate damages and losses. "But not only countries that have a major stake in climate change should provide those funds. Private players like the big oil companies also have to help pay. The same applies to the food industry, which contributes heavily to methane emissions."  

Caring for future generations

There was a time when little attention was paid to climate change, while climate damage was widespread. "I don't like to speak of blame," says Bernard Hubeau. "Let's say that the baby boomer generation is indeed to a larger extent responsible for climate change. People asked few questions at the time. Even the government was hardly concerned about it. But let us rather look to the future and ensure a strong climate policy. That is our duty of care, and that of the government, for future generations."

From this intergenerational concern, Grandparents for Climate was born. In early 2019, Belgian schoolchildren, following the example of Sweden's Greta Thunberg, started weekly truancy actions for the climate. Some grandparents at the time set up an organisation to support the campaigning youngsters. "The young people responded very enthusiastically to our support," Bernard looks back on those early days of Grandparents for Climate. Although the weekly strikes have not been going on for some time, the organisation remains active and even growing. "In English, elders are very nicely called 'advisors and custodians of knowledge'. We can offer knowledge, science, tradition and also support. We can try to influence policy. And we can include a care function to deal with the consequences of the climate crisis. Often grandparents have close contacts with their grandchildren. And you also hear it said that older people are a bit freer in their thinking on the one hand, but on the other hand have a bit more measure and reasonableness in them. Older people can mediate and perhaps exercise a bit more authority if there are conflicts."

Positive message

Grandparents for Climate explicitly targets other older people. Well-known ambassadors support the association. There are collaborations with various organisations, including OKRA. There is an extensive offer around climate, including lectures. Climate coaches go and talk to people who have questions about climate change. "In doing so, we bring a positive message," says Bernard. "Because we can still turn the tide."

That positive mindset can help combat climate fatigue. Because it is not so strange to think that one's own choices are just a drop in the ocean. "Many will disagree with me, but I don't really believe in individual actions," argues Bismo Sanyoto. "Time is pressing too much for that. I think what we mainly need now is collective action, not only from the government, but also from companies. And for that, we need the commitment of social movements and organisations around the world. They can put pressure on their governments and companies."

Bernard Hubeau does believe in individual actions, "in addition to necessary collective actions. I think every little bit helps. Of course, the direct effect of a personal action is very relative. But you often see individual initiatives grow into broader actions that are also supported by the government. That is a positive evolution. I find coercion frightening, so you won't hear me saying that people should never fly or eat meat again. But I do urge everyone to think about their own behaviour. And of course the government can hold out a carrot, as for instance with the premiums for sustainable renovations. But you shouldn't start blaming people or burdening them with all the sin. It comes down to finding the right balance between social policy and climate policy. And we also need to tackle international inequality."

In November next year, Grandparents for Climate is organising a week-long climate action called Climate 2025. It is a collaboration with several elderly organisations including OKRA. On Friday 21 November 2025, there will be a massive day of action in Brussels. On that day, the 30th UN Climate Conference ends in the Brazilian city of Belém.
 

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"Seniors can strengthen climate awareness"

Mieke Van Nuland is not only general chairwoman of OKRA, she is also a Grandparent for Climate. Early this year, Mieke and some other OKRA members cycled through Bangladesh at the initiative of WSM. The trip was a collaboration with local health organisation Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK). In Bangladesh, Mieke saw what climate change is causing.

"Concern for sustainability and concern for the climate has long been woven into the workings of OKRA. After all, most OKRA members are also grandparents. They see their grandchildren growing up in a world increasingly strained by unbridled growth and great inequality. The depletion of the planet forces us to think and take action for the future of our children and grandchildren."

Advocate
"Seniors can strengthen the climate awareness of others. They can move peers around climate issues. As seniors, we can convince governments to adopt effective climate policies. OKRA has an advocacy role in this, campaigning with other senior citizens' organisations for a socially just transition."

"During our cycling trip through Bangladesh, I saw that the country is particularly vulnerable to flooding. Last summer, 5.6 million people were hit by devastating floods and a hurricane that swept across the country. Along the coast, entire villages disappeared due to rising sea levels. River pollution and air pollution threaten people's health and biodiversity."