The Youngest Australians: Heat, Smoke and Disruption
As temperatures rise, so do hospital admissions for children under 14 suffering from dehydration and heatstroke.
Government health data reveals that asthma attacks among children have spiked during recent bushfire seasons, with smoke and rising pollen levels triggering respiratory issues.
Climate-linked natural disasters also routinely interrupt school life in vulnerable regions.
During the 2022 floods in northern New South Wales, dozens of schools closed for weeks, affecting thousands of students.
Such instability affects not only education but also mental health, with many young children developing symptoms of trauma or generalised anxiety following evacuation events.
Teenagers and Young Adults: Anxious, Vocal and Bearing the Cost
Among Australians aged 15–29, climate change is not a distant threat, it’s an immediate psychological burden.
A recent survey by The Australia Institute found that climate anxiety is highest in this demographic, with nearly 70% reporting significant concern for their future.
Financially, this group is also at risk of being saddled with the long-term economic cost of climate inaction.
From home affordability in disaster-prone regions to the burden of future taxes funding adaptation, young Australians are set to pay more and get less. In response, they are leading the charge in protests, campaigns, and even litigation.
One notable case, Sharma v Minister for the Environment, attempted to hold the federal government accountable for the climate impact of fossil fuel approvals, though the High Court ultimately dismissed it.
Middle-Aged Australians: Insurance Shock and Workplace Strain
For those aged 30–64, the climate crisis is taking shape through property damage and rising costs. Residents in high-risk flood and bushfire zones are being hit by insurance premium hikes or dropped entirely.
In Lismore, premiums tripled in some post-flood neighbourhoods, rendering homes effectively uninsurable and unsellable.
Many working-age Australians are also exposed to physical risks, particularly in outdoor professions like farming, construction, and emergency services.
Extended heatwaves and erratic weather patterns have increased the incidence of workplace injuries and reduced productivity.
Meanwhile, the cost of living, especially in energy, food, and insurance, is climbing, partly driven by climate-related disruptions in supply chains and agriculture.
Older Australians: Heatwaves Prove Deadly
Australians over 65 are at the highest risk of climate-related mortality. Heatwaves already cause more deaths than any other natural hazard in the country, and that toll is projected to increase.
Elderly people often have pre-existing health conditions, live alone, and may not have air conditioning—factors that compound their vulnerability.
During emergencies, isolation and mobility limitations make it harder for older residents to evacuate.
After the 2019–20 bushfires, aged care facilities across regional NSW reported severe difficulties in managing smoke inhalation and emergency protocols for vulnerable residents.
These are not hypothetical risks. They are already happening.
Why Age Matters in a Warming Australia
The age divide in climate impacts isn’t just a health or financial story, it’s deeply political.
Those who contribute least to the problem are often the ones who will suffer the most, especially children and young adults.
Meanwhile, older generations, while often more vulnerable to immediate physical harm, have disproportionately influenced the policies that have brought us here.
The next steps, whether in emissions cuts, adaptation, or disaster preparedness, must consider the unique risks and roles of every age group.
Climate justice, increasingly, is about generational fairness too.
Evidence-Based Impact Assessment
- Heatwaves cause more hospitalisations and deaths than any other weather event in Australia (Australia Institute, AIHW).
- Older Australians (65+) are the most affected, both in hospitalisations and fatalities.
- From 2012–2022, 7,104 hospitalisations and 293 deaths were attributed to extreme heat (Aged Care Commission).
- 374 excess deaths occurred during the 2009 southeast heatwave alone (University of Queensland).
- More than 36,000 deaths between 2006–2017 linked to heat, though undercounted (ANU ICEDS).
- Asthma and respiratory illness spikes occurred during the 2019–20 bushfires, with up to 36% more asthma-related hospitalisations (Asthma Australia, AIHW).
- The fires affected over 10 million people, increasing ED visits for respiratory and cardiac distress (MJA).
| Age Group | Primary Impact | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | Respiratory distress from smoke | Asthma Australia, AIHW |
| Youth (15–29) | Mental health burden, eco-anxiety | Australia Institute |
| Adults (30–64) | Property loss, occupational hazards | Risk Frontiers |
| Seniors (65+) | Heat-related death, mobility risk | Aged Care Commission, UQ |
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