ABSTRACT
As the world’s population ages, there has been growing speculation about the probable impacts of an ageing population. Much of this discussion has been centred on economic (that is, labour supply) and health care issues (Wright and Lund, 2000). Comparatively little attention has been given to the environmental implications of ageing. We argue that understanding the potential environmental implications of an ageing society is critical, particularly given that population ageing is set within a context of population growth. As the population ages, will consumption and production trends shift? If so, how will they shift? Will there be a change in the demand for housing (location and form)? Will demand for particular services and goods increase or decrease? Will production systems be able to adapt to meet changing demand? What will the environmental implications be of changing consumption and production systems?
