In honor of Earth Day on April 22, 2025, the University of Southern California Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, in cooperation with HelpAge USA and HelpAge International, will highlight how local, national, and global actors are responding to the unequal impacts of climate change on the health of older adults. Climate change disproportionately impacts and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities of aging populations. The resulting displacement, limited access to health services, and social isolation due to extreme weather events is of utmost importance to the health and rights of older people. This virtual panel will address how social and economic inequalities among older adults affect their opportunities for healthy longevity in a climate-changing world, and showcase how older activists for climate justice are acting to advance health and equality.

This virtual event, “Hazardous Inequalities: Older Adults Responding to the Unequal Health Effects of Climate Change,” will take place on Tuesday, April 22, at 9:00 am PDT/12:00 pm EDT/6:00 pm CEST.

Centering the voices and agency of older people themselves, this panel will:

1. Highlight how older people and their associations in low and middle-income countries are acting to mitigate the health risks and inequalities associated with climate change 
2. Share perspectives from older persons in the United States about how they perceive the health hazards posed by climate change, who is most vulnerable, and how we can work individually and collectively to mitigate these hazards
3. Review population-level data of how pre-existing social and economic vulnerabilities contribute to inequalities in the health risks and effects of climate change, such as heat, respiratory and water-related illnesses, parasitic diseases, mental health effects, and injuries and death

The conversation will begin with an introduction by IIGH Director Sofia Gruskin and will be moderated by IIGH Director of Policy Engagement Jonathan Cohen.

The discussion is hosted by the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health in cooperation with HelpAge USA and HelpAge International.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 22, at 9:00 am PDT/12:00 pm EDT/6:00 pm CEST.