At the Intersection of Climate and Aging – Summer 2026 Presentations
Jean Paul Ramírez, Samna Sadaf Khan and Atiya Mahmood
Manchester Chapter
Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) and Climate (SWAN)
On June 23, amidst one of the most intense heatwaves Europe has experienced this century, with temperatures reaching 34°C, scholars, researchers, practitioners, community partners, and older adults from across Manchester and around the world gathered for the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group’s (MUARG) seminar, Urban Ageing in the Margins: Global Perspectives.
The one-day event explored how ageing is shaped by inequality, marginalization, and place, while highlighting how innovative approaches emerging across diverse geographical, political, and socioeconomic contexts can inform practice internationally and support healthy ageing and well-being.
Representing the Aging in the Right Place (AIRP) project, Dr. Atiya Mahmood, AIRP Co-Investigator and Vancouver Site Lead, presented findings on the use of arts-based methods, particularly photovoice and digital storytelling, as central components of the AIRP research. Her presentation demonstrated how these methods enable co-creation and participatory research by centring the voices and lived experiences of older people with experiences of homelessness (OPEH). The seminar also featured Dr. Habib Chaudhury (Simon Fraser University, Canada), who presented the DemSCAPE project and its efforts to understand the conditions that support dementia-inclusive communities, exploring what works, what does not, and how research can be translated into practical strategies that strengthen community engagement and inclusion.
After the presentations from multinational researchers sharing diverse international perspectives on ageing and marginalization, the seminar continued with roundtable discussions. These discussions reinforced the importance of international collaboration in addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of ageing.
The second part of Dr. Mahmood’s visit to Manchester focused on the Stakeholders’ Walkability/Wheelability and Access in Neighbourhoods through a Climate Lens (SWAN-Climate) study, with Dr. Razieh Zandieh as a Co-Investigator in Manchester. The study explores how neighbourhood design and microclimate conditions shape thermal comfort and mobility, as well as the strategies people use to adapt their routines and maintain participation in community life. As part of the visit, the team met with community partners, visited study sites, and shared insights on the data collection process. SWAN-Climate is being conducted across three cities in Metro Vancouver (Vancouver, Burnaby, and North Vancouver), the UK cities of Manchester and Exeter, and Frankfurt, Germany.
Frankfurt and Exeter Chapter
Navigating Heat: Lived Experiences and Community (SWAN Climate & COPE)
Dr. Atiya Mahmood presented at Goethe University Frankfurt on June 25, followed by a presentation at the University of Exeter on June 30. The presentation at Frankfurt was part of the Colloquium hosted by the International GRADE Center AGING and Frankfurt Forum for Interdisciplinary Ageing Research (FFIA) for Interdisciplinary Ageing Research.
At both locations, part of Dr. Mahmood’s visit focused on the SWAN-Climate pilot study, with Goethe University Frankfurt and the University of Exeter serving as European partners in the project. In Exeter, Dr. Mahmood met with the study team, including Dr. Jennifer Lay, while in Frankfurt she met with Dr. Frank Oswald and the wider research team. Discussions focused on the study, data collection processes, and project logistics. She also visited study sites and met with community participants, providing an opportunity to learn from local experiences and perspectives.
With completion of data collection for the SWAN-Climate pilot study in Vancouver and Manchester, and the process being underway in Germany, the visits provided a valuable opportunity for project leads to connect at an important stage of the study. The meetings supported the exchange of insights across study sites and helped strengthen coordination around data collection and fieldwork.
The second part of Dr. Mahmood’s visit focused on exploring potential collaborations with European counterparts for future European grant opportunities, with Canada as a potential project partner. She presented "Navigating Heat: Lived Experience and Community Collaborative Strategies for Fostering Climate Resilience among Older Adults," drawing on the COPE and SWAN Climate projects to academics and research teams working in related areas, providing an opportunity to exchange ideas and identify areas of mutual interest. The presentations were open to the public, with participants joining both in person and online. Two core projects from the Inclusive Environments Lab led by Dr. Mahmood, COPE-Engage and SWAN-Climate, were featured in the presentations.
Population ageing and climate change are increasingly interconnected global challenges, yet their combined impacts remain comparatively underexamined. The growing frequency and severity of extreme heat events highlight the need for coordinated action across communities, sectors, and disciplines. Through COPE-Engage and SWAN-Climate, the Inclusive Environments Lab contributes community-based evidence on older adults’ experiences, vulnerabilities, and adaptive responses to extreme heat. Dr. Mahmood’s visits to Manchester, Frankfurt, and Exeter strengthened international research partnerships, supported knowledge exchange, and opened opportunities for future collaboration on climate-resilient and inclusive communities.
