By Abdullahi Lukman
As extreme heat becomes increasingly common worldwide, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that older people face heightened health risks from climate change, according to its *Frontiers 2025 Report* released on Thursday, July 10.
The report, titled The Weight of Time – Facing a New Age of Challenges for People and Ecosystems, highlights how rising global temperatures, melting glaciers, and frequent flooding threaten public health, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen stressed that climate impacts such as heatwaves, floods, and shrinking ice cover are now among the most dangerous and frequent consequences of global warming.
Older adults, especially those with chronic conditions or limited mobility, are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and increased mortality.
Since the 1990s, annual heat-related deaths among people aged 65 and above have surged by an estimated 85%.
UNEP called for cities to become greener, more resilient, and more inclusive, recommending strategies such as better urban planning, disaster risk management, and improved access to climate information for older populations.
Beyond health risks, the report also warns that rising temperatures could awaken long-dormant microbes, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, trapped in permafrost.
These “zombie microbes” could contribute to growing antimicrobial resistance.
UNEP urged stronger emissions reduction, especially of black carbon, and stricter controls on tourism in fragile cryospheric regions.
Another threat comes from flooding, which could resurface toxic chemicals that were banned decades ago. Floodwaters may disturb sediment where such substances accumulated, contaminating urban areas and food systems.
Solutions proposed include nature-based approaches like sponge cities, traditional flood controls, and pollutant monitoring.
The report also flags concerns over ageing dams, recommending removal of unsafe or obsolete structures to restore river connectivity and support ecosystem regeneration.
This aligns with the UN’s ecosystem restoration principles and is already gaining momentum in parts of Europe and North America.
The Frontiers report is part of UNEP’s Foresight Trajectory initiative, which tracks emerging environmental threats. Its first edition in 2016 warned of zoonotic diseases—four years before the COVID-19 pandemic.
