Climate Wisdom partnership to support dementia-friendly climate action
A new project that places older adults living with dementia at the centre of climate action launches this month, supported by a leading researcher from Heriot-Watt University.
Over the next five years, Climate Wisdom will engage with individuals living with dementia, alongside their care partners and local communities.
The aim is to understand what practical steps they would like to see taken in response to climate change and to ensure their voices are included in decision-making. Delivered across Scotland, this dementia-friendly initiative focuses on a demographic whose perspectives are often overlooked in climate policy.
Older people, particularly those living with dementia, are too often excluded from discussions about our future.
Professor Ryan Woolrych, Director of the Institute for Place, Environment and Society at Heriot-Watt University, is a key figure in the project.
He previously led a study exploring how extreme weather events negatively affect the health and wellbeing of older people. His earlier work, Healthy Ageing in a Changing Climate, inspired Climate Wisdom, which aims to bridge the gap between climate action and dementia support. The project champions a model of climate justice that is inclusive, accessible, and community-driven.
“It’s a privilege to be part of a project that puts inclusion at the heart of climate action,” said Professor Woolrych.
“Older people, particularly those living with dementia, are too often excluded from discussions about our future.
“Climate Wisdom challenges this by recognising the unique experiences, insights, and resilience that older adults bring to the table. It’s exciting to know Heriot-Watt is helping to lead the way in developing dementia-friendly, community-based climate hubs. These can drive positive behaviour change, build local resilience, and ensure that no one is left behind in tackling the climate crisis.”
The project is led by the Scottish charity and social enterprise Outside the Box, in partnership with Meeting Centres Scotland, Heriot-Watt University, and the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York.
The need for inclusive climate action is becoming more urgent as the effects of climate change intensify across the UK. Scotland, in particular, has experienced ten of its warmest years on record since 1997, with average temperatures between 2014 and 2023 rising by one degree compared to the 1961–1990 average. Increased rainfall, more frequent storms, and a greater risk of wildfires are becoming common.
These changes are unfolding alongside significant demographic shifts. In 2022, 19% of the UK population was aged 65 or older. By 2072, that figure is projected to rise to 27%—over 22 million people. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts due to pre-existing health conditions, limited mobility, inadequate housing, economic inequality, and underrepresentation in climate planning.
“It’s essential that people living with dementia are not excluded from shaping our shared future,” Professor Woolrych stressed. “They are often among the most affected yet rarely consulted in the policy and planning processes.
“Dementia does not diminish a person’s care for their community or environment. Many have lived sustainable lives and want to pass that knowledge on. Including their voices in climate action creates opportunities for learning, strengthens intergenerational bonds, and ensures community-led solutions that reflect real-world experiences.”
Funded by nearly £1.5 million from The National Lottery Community Fund, Climate Wisdom will offer a variety of inclusive engagement methods—ranging from environmental arts and storytelling to nature-based activities—designed to spark conversations and gather insights from participants.
These discussions will take place in community-based ‘meeting centres’ across the country, which provide welcoming, supportive environments for people living with dementia. In the first two years, 13 meeting centres in Fife and Angus will host the programme.
“This project brings together climate justice and social justice,” said Professor Woolrych. “It’s not only about raising awareness of climate risks, but about empowering people living with dementia to lead the response.
“By embedding climate activities into trusted spaces like meeting centres, we can demonstrate how even small changes, like intergenerational gardening projects or resource-sharing networks, can deliver broader social and environmental benefits.
“In doing so, Climate Wisdom contributes to building a more inclusive, resilient, and connected society.”