States must ensure the safety of older persons in climate emergency

October 1, 2025

Washington, DC—On the International Day for Older Persons, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights call on States in the Americas to take prevention, assistance, and protection measures in favor of older persons in the face of natural disasters and other phenomena caused by climate change. Older persons are holder of rights. Taking them into consideration in climate policy not only favors their social inclusion and fights ageism (age-based discrimination), but is also a necessary strategy in response to the disproportionate negative impact of climate change on older persons.

The IACHR has acknowledged the climate emergency as a serious threat to human life that deepens pre-existing vulnerabilities and affects the exercise and enjoyment of human rights in general and of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights in particular. The IACHR has also said that States must ensure that the effects of climate change—including socio-environmental disasters—do not threaten the rights to life, personal integrity, and health of older persons.

The IACHR’s Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights has documented the differentiated impact of natural disasters on older persons. Various instances of flooding have evidenced a lack of shelters that are adequate and accessible for older persons, along with limitations in terms of access to and interruptions of healthcare and medical treatment. Regarding fires, older persons have been found to face disproportionate effects of smoke inhalation and air pollution—which result in respiratory and cardiovascular conditions—and of the lack of drinking water during such emergencies.

Similarly, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has said that all branches of government, at both domestic and international levels, must coordinate their efforts to protect human rights that are threatened or otherwise affected by the climate emergency, and especially to respect, ensure, and progressively advance the protection of the affected rights. States must devote as many resources as possible to protecting individuals and groups whose vulnerability exposes them to especially serious impacts of climate change.

The Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons says that all necessary measures must be taken to protect the integrity and address the needs of older persons when preparing for emergencies and disasters, adopting prevention measures, and implementing reconstruction and recovery efforts.

In this context, the IACHR and its Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights call on States in the Americas to adopt a human rights focus in all their work to develop, implement, and monitor policies and measures linked to climate change, specifically addressing its impact on older persons as rights holders entitled to live with dignity and to be protected. The IACHR and its Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights stress that prevention and assistance strategies must take care not to exacerbate pre-existing vulnerabilities or cause new ones.

Taking older persons into consideration in policies to address the climate emergency is one way to tackle ageism and raise awareness of the need to value and empower older persons. The participation of older persons in the development of policies and courses of action to address climate change is a right that all States must ensure.

Finally, the IACHR stresses its call on all States in the Americas that are yet to adhere to the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons to do so, and to develop comprehensive responses to provide assistance to older persons in the context of climate change. Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Uruguay are currently States Party to the Convention.

The Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights is an autonomous office of the IACHR and was especially created to brace the promotion and protection of economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights in the Americas, leading the Commission’s efforts in this field.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence. 

No. 199/25

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