Background

Older persons are among those who are the most affected by the negative impacts of climate change, including the spread of diseases, temperature changes and the increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters. As noted by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 44/7, under international human rights law States and other duty bearers, including businesses, must “promote, protect and respect, as would be appropriate, human rights, including those of older persons, when taking action to address the adverse effects of climate change”.  However older persons do not constitute a homogenous group when facing the impacts of climate change. The adverse effects felt by all older persons are aggravated by multiple and intersectional factors of inequality and discrimination, such as gender, ethnicity, or economic or migration status. Older women, older persons from ethnic minorities, older Indigenous people and older persons with disabilities, for example, are disproportionately affected by climate change-related harms. Ageism further aggravates the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the human rights of older persons. Yet, older persons are often neglected in humanitarian responses as well as in climate change-related disaster preparedness and management.

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 44/7, in 2021 the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presented an Analytical study on the promotion and protection of the rights of older persons in the context of climate change (A/HRC/47/46). The Analytical study analyses the international legal framework promoting and protecting the rights of older persons in the context of climate change and highlights the potential of older persons in addressing the adverse impacts of climate change.

Objectives of the report

The Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Dr. Claudia Mahler, will focus her next thematic report on older persons in the context of climate change-induced disasters and building back better. The report will be presented to the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in October 2023.

In this report, the Independent Expert will examine the human rights of older persons in responses to climate change-related disasters, including emergency preparedness and management. The report will aim at taking stock of laws and policies at the international, national and local level that are taking older persons into account in relation to emergency response in relation to climate change but also risk management and preventive measures. It will also address the issue of older persons’ access to information in relation to climate change disasters, as well as the participation of older persons in climate change-related emergency response and preparedness. The objective of the report is to provide a catalogue of good practices put in place by governments, as well as an analysis of the gaps in the existing framework and the challenges faced by relevant stakeholders. The Independent Expert will address the issue from an intersectional perspective, in exploring the interactions with other social factors such as gender, sex, race, ethnicity, indigenous identity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, social status, place of origin, and immigration status. Finally, the Independent Expert will provide recommendations on upholding the human rights of older persons in the prevention, mitigation, and response to climate-change disasters.

Key questions

In this regard and to inform her report, the Independent Expert would like to seek written inputs from relevant stakeholders, including national and local governments, national and international non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, international and regional inter-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and entities, activists, academics, and older persons.

She strongly encourages sharing concrete examples of good practices where available.

The Independent Expert kindly invites all interested stakeholders to share their views and provide written submissions on the following issues:

• Legal, policy and institutional frameworks: Is there national legislation on emergency disasters? Does the legislation address the specific needs of older persons? Is there a national plan, policy or strategy to address the prevention, mitigation, and/or response to climate change-related disasters, and does it include older persons? Please provide detailed information and relevant documents, if applicable.
• Access to information: How do you raise awareness about existing measures in relation to prevention, mitigation, and response to climate-change related disasters in the public? How is information about access to essential services (e.g. access to shelters, food security, healthcare, legal assistance, social services) made accessible and available for older persons? Please provide detailed information.
• Participation: Are there measures in place to ensure the full and meaningful participation of older persons in addressing climate change-related disasters? Please provide detailed information.
• Intersectionality: How do climate change-related disasters affect specific groups of older persons in all their diversity (including older women, older LGBTI persons, older persons belonging to national, religious, and linguistic minorities and older indigenous people, refugees and internally displaced persons, older persons with disabilities, older persons based in urban and rural areas, among others). Please provide detailed information.
• Data: Is disaggregated data available at national and local level about the impact of climate change-related disasters on older persons? Is data available on the response to climate change-related disasters, in particular with regard to older persons? If available, please provide figures and such data.
• Please provide examples of good practices for addressing the needs of older persons in preventing, mitigating and responding to climate change-related disasters.