Urban Effects of Climate Change on Elderly Population and the Need for Implementing Urban Policies

The intensified exposure to high temperature in urban areas, resulting from the combination of heat waves and the urban heat island (UHI) effect, necessitates a deeper understanding of the climate–health relationship. This knowledge directly influences the strategies employed by policy makers and urban planners in their efforts to regenerate cities and protect their population. Nature-based solutions and the widely accepted 15 min city model, characterized by a polycentric structure, should drive the implementation of effective adaptation policies, especially given the persistent delay in mitigation efforts. However, it is less clear whether current or future policies are adequately structured to broadly address the complex forms of social vulnerability. A prime example of this complexity is the demographic shift observed since the mid-20th century, characterized by a relative increase in the elderly population, and a shrinking youth demographic. While extensive literature addresses the physiological impacts of heat wave on human health, evidence regarding the neuro-psychological and cognitive implications for elderly individuals, who frequently suffer from chronic diseases, remains less comprehensive and more fragmented. The purpose of this concise review is to emphasize that crucial findings on the climate–health relationship, particularly concerning the elderly, have often been developed within disciplinary silos. The lack of comprehensive interdisciplinary integration coupled with an incomplete understanding of the full spectrum of vulnerabilities (encompassing both physiological and cognitive) may lead to urban policies that are egalitarian in principle but fail to achieve true equity in practice. This review aims to bridge this gap by highlighting the need for a more integrated approach to urban policy and regeneration.