Perceived changes in extreme weather among older people - insights from Austria

Climate gerontology examines the intersections between climate change and population ageing, yet empirical evidence on how older adults perceive climate-related environmental change remains limited, particularly in European contexts. This study analyses perceptions of changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events among people aged 50 and over in Austria and investigates the social factors associated with these perceptions.

Using data from the Austrian subsample of the 2021/2022 wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; N = 3,170), an index of perceived changes in weather extremes since childhood was constructed. That was used to estimate a hierarchical multiple linear regression model including environmental awareness, sociodemographic characteristics, financial strain, subjective health, loneliness, and urbanicity.

The results indicate that perceptions of increasing extreme weather are widespread among older adults in Austria, pointing to a broadly shared awareness of climate-related change. At the same time, perceptions are socially and spatially differentiated. Environmental awareness emerges as the strongest correlate of perceived increases, underscoring the importance of cognitive and informational factors in shaping climate-related interpretations. Urban residence is associated with stronger perceptions compared to town and rural living, suggesting the relevance of geographic context and everyday exposure. Higher education and financial hardship are also positively associated with perceived increases. In contrast, subjective health and loneliness show no significant associations.

Overall, the findings suggest that perceptions of extreme weather among older adults are structured by social position, urbanicity, and environmental awareness. These results call for differentiated climate communication and adaptation strategies.