Between 2005 and 2014, disasters have caused total damage of US$1.4 trillion worldwide, with 1.7 billion people affected and 0.7 million killed. With climate change, urbanization, environmental degradation and poverty, the world has been experiencing disasters at a higher frequency and intensity. At the same time, global population is ageing at an unprecedented speed: between 2015 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over in the world is projected to grow by 56%, from 901 million to more than 1.4 billion. Older people therefore is going to be an increasingly important group, in terms of both their contribution and vulnerabilities, in the face of disasters. This paper discusses the disaster-related health risks of the older people in Hong Kong, and presents key policy recommendations for better protection of this vulnerable group.
Between 2005 and 2014, disasters have caused total damage of US$1.4 trillion worldwide, with 1.7 billion people affected and 0.7 million killed. With climate change, urbanization, environmental degradation and poverty, the world has been experiencing disasters at a higher frequency and intensity. At the same time, global population is ageing at an unprecedented speed: between 2015 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over in the world is projected to grow by 56%, from 901 million to more than 1.4 billion. Older people therefore is going to be an increasingly important group, in terms of both their contribution and vulnerabilities, in the face of disasters. This paper discusses the disaster-related health risks of the older people in Hong Kong, and presents key policy recommendations for better protection of this vulnerable group.