Dr. Begum presented at a high-profile panel titled "Intersections of Ageing and Climate Change". The panel was held as part of a broader international academic event and explored the complex and evolving relationship between climate change and global population ageing.

The session brought together researchers from diverse geographical and disciplinary backgrounds, shedding light on the underexplored intersection of gerontology and environmental studies. While the field of climate gerontology is still emerging, the panel emphasized its growing urgency - especially in remote and climate-vulnerable regions like the Arctic.

Dr. Begum’s presentation, “Impact of climate change on different groups of older people in the Finnish North”, focused on how climate change uniquely affects older populations in the Arctic. She discussed how geographic isolation, extreme weather, and demographic shifts - such as youth outmigration - exacerbate vulnerability among both Indigenous Sámi communities and older immigrants in Northern Finland. Her talk also highlighted the importance of intergenerational care and the transmission of cultural knowledge in adapting to climate challenges.

The panel was chaired by Dr. Lucie Galčanová Batista (Masaryk University, Czech Republic) and Professor Virpi Timonen (University of Helsinki, Finland), who also lead major European projects on ageing and legacy-making. Other presenters included Dr. Gary Haq (University of York, UK), who offered a global overview of climate impacts on older adults, and Professor Liat Ayalon (Bar Ilan University, Israel), who examined intergenerational dynamics and ageism through the lens of integrated threat theory.

By participating in this panel, the Thematic Network on Ageing and Gender in the Arctic continues to amplify Arctic perspectives in global ageing discourse, and to promote intersectional, regionally grounded approaches to climate adaptation for older adults.

Dr. Shahnaj Begum

 

Contact:
Dr. Shahnaj Begum
Lead, Thematic Network on Ageing and Gender in the Arctic
Email: shahnaj.begum@ulapland.fi