Seniors as a group are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. They tend to spend a lot of time in open, green spaces; hence the decreasing amount of these areas affects them in a significant way. In a long-term perspective, climate change can exacerbate circulatory diseases and breathing issues among the elderly. Research from the Central Statistical Office of Poland shows that seniors constitute 25% of the Polish society, and by the year 2050 the group will grow to 40%. Additionally, the research done by the Ministry of the Environment showed that many Poles have no knowledge of how their actions affect the climate.
We have chosen three willing municipalities for the project: Puszcza Mariańska, Piastów, and Rejowiec Fabryczny. All three municipalities have populations with that display aging trends. We organized a number of informational meetings about the project and then conducted a series of civic debates on ways to activate seniors. Together we have crafted recommendations for the local government, seniors and other institutions working for the elderly that were presented to a broader audience during a public hearing with experts, local authorities, and media. Each municipality has created its own Local Senior Activity Agenda for Climate that was shared with local authorities and senior aid institutions. We have created an info brochure for seniors with information on the “envelope of life” – what it is and where it should be located, emergency numbers, as well as tips on how they can protect the environment. We have also conducted workshops on green spaces management, after which seniors and other citizens planted trees and other plants in their neighborhoods.

The National Institute of Senior Economy Foundation was our partner. It supported us with its breath of knowledge and experience in working with the elderly.
We were able to engage children, adults, as well as elders in all kinds of activities aimed at environmental protection and expand their knowledge on the subject of climate change. We’re happy to report that we had many more participants than originally anticipated. We did not anticipate so many children participating, but it was an important intergenerational experience for the citizens of the three municipalities involved. At least one of them intends to continue organizing the meetings in the future.