Prezentation “Heatwaves, Reduced Quality of Life and (Im)mobility of Older People in Warsaw and Madrid”

The 12th Conference of the Committee for Migration Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences, ‘Migrations in the Face of Major Social Changes – Challenges for Theory and Practice,’ September 20-22, 2023, Białystok, provided a great opportunity to present the project’s results. During the panel ‘Natural Environment and the Quality of Life of the Population and Their (Im)mobility Decisions,’ led by Karolina Sobczak-Szelc and Magdalena Chułek, Barbara Jancewicz presented a talk titled “Heatwaves, Reduced Quality of Life and (Im)mobility of Older People in Warsaw and Madrid”

Abstract of the presentation:

Heatwaves in Poland are associated with holiday time and rest, and their negative impact on urban life often escapes public opinion. Prolonged high temperatures, higher and more persistent in cities due to the urban heat island effect, affect the quality of life and mobility. The presentation will focus on urban overheating and the experiences of older people in Warsaw and Madrid. The results of a survey of over 2,000 people aged 65 and older will be presented, showing how heatwaves affect their mobility: pushing them outside cities or immobilizing them at home. The analysis will enhance our understanding of the connections between the natural environment and the quality of life and (im)mobility of the population.