Seoul - In a significant mobilization for environmental justice, over a hundred senior citizens have approached the state human rights institution, advocating for more robust governmental measures to safeguard older adults from the adverse effects of climate change. The petition emphasizes the urgency of addressing the vulnerabilities faced by this demographic group amid escalating climate-related risks.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the advocacy organizations 60+ Climate Action and Solutions for Our Climate, the group of 123 petitioners, averaging 63 years in age, is pressing for governmental action to honor their constitutional rights to life and well-being, which they argue are jeopardized by insufficient climate policies. During a press briefing outside the National Human Rights Commission, representatives highlighted the absence of comprehensive research on the specific threats climate change poses to senior citizens, including heightened risks from heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and extreme cold. The activists criticized the current level of preparedness and policy response, emphasizing the need for targeted measures to protect the elderly, a group disproportionately affected by climate-induced health hazards.
The petitioners also called on the government to revise and intensify its carbon emission reduction targets for 2030, reflecting the urgency demanded by the climate crisis's progression. This action is underscored by environmental ministry data indicating that individuals over 65 accounted for over 68.5 percent of heat-related fatalities between 2011 and 2020, delineating a clear demographic vulnerability to the exacerbating impacts of global warming.