Annotated Table of Contents Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation by Danielle Arigoni
Overview/Summary Two global trends are underway and manifesting here in the US which have the power to radically influence the viability and well-being of communities: climate change and an increasingly older population. While the impacts of climate are generally well-documented and increasingly evident, the impacts of our demographic change are less visible. Nevertheless, by 2034 the US will – for the first time ever -- have more people over 65 than under 18. Climate change impacts older adults – ever-growing share of our communities – differently, necessitating new approaches to achieving climate resilience.
Preface In this chapter, the author recounts her personal and professional journey to the topic, building on a career of more than two decades in the federal and nonprofit sectors, including as Director of Livable Communities for AARP and as a co-lead for HUD’s National Disaster Resilience Competition. Compelled by the recurring evidence that older adults are disproportionately among those dying in climate-related disasters, and her own personal concern about the impacts of climate change, the author explains why this is an issue of critical importance for all.
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