Sustainable age(ing) in the context of climate change: state of research and conceptional considerations

Abstract

Research on age and ageing is starting to consider challenges related to climate change; however, most work focuses on reaction needs rather than action possibilities of older people. Based on ascoping review of 39papers from the scientific literature the construction of age(ing) in the context of climate change and sustainability were analyzed and constrictions were revealed. Following these considerations, amodel of "sustainable age(ing) in times of climate change" is proposed, which enables successful, active and sustainable ageing to be reconciled. The scoping review shows that older people are often considered as ahomogeneous, vulnerable group and more or less helpless in the face of climate change. In the context of sustainability, they are attributed the role of acentral cause or as part of the solution for environmental crises. The focus is broadened and contradictions and ambivalences are reconciled in this model of sustainable age(ing). Climate change can only be dealt with together. Research on age and ageing can support this on the basis of the model of sustainable age(ing) by providing important contributions to handling climate change and (re)actions regarding environmental crises.