Mohammad Yunus

Opinion | Asia’s elderly are climate-vulnerable but they’re not victims

Ageing populations can bring unique strengths to climate efforts. There’s a need for a nuanced look at both their vulnerability and resilience

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A man makes his way through a shopping district in Tokyo, on March 19. Japan is grappling with a rapidly declining population and escalating social security costs. Photo: Reuters

Mohammad Yunus

Published: 5:30am, 23 Aug 2024Updated: 6:00am, 23 Aug 2024

Asia is experiencing a demographic revolution: it is ageing faster than any other region globally. The proportion of older people – aged 60 and above – has more than doubled from 5.9 per cent in 1960 to 13.5 per cent in 2022, and the trend is set to continue, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

By 2050, Asia will have more than 1.2 billion older people, making up over a quarter of its population – and 55.6 per cent of the world’s older population.

Crucially, population ageing increases the demand for pension and welfare programmes, as well as healthcare services. Unfortunately, 40 per cent of older Asians lack access to any pension, with women disproportionately affected due to their higher likelihood of engaging in unpaid domestic labour, according to the ADB’s “Aging Well in Asia: Asian Development Policy Report”.

Consequently, many older people are forced to work beyond the traditional retirement age. Among those aged 65 and older who are employed, 94 per cent are engaged in the informal sector, which is typically devoid of fundamental labour protections and pension provisions.

Japan is a prime example of the challenges confronting its Asian neighbours. With a staggering 29.1 per cent of its population aged 65 or over, the country is grappling with a rapidly declining population and escalating social security costs.

Last year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the nation was “on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society”, underscoring the urgency of addressing the needs of an ageing society. Given the stark disparity between deaths and births, coupled with the projected population decline of about 20 per cent by 2050, Japan’s struggle to preserve its social fabric stands as a portent for the rest of Asia.