Silver Hues

Four major trends are shaping our world: demographic transition, urban expansion, technological advancement, and frequent shocks from health and climate emergencies. Among the demographic shifts, aging is particularly significant as life expectancy increases, and fertility rates decline. Additionally, the increasing urbanization of the world, with two-thirds of the population projected to live in cities by 2050, exacerbates the impact of aging on urban areas. Furthermore, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by widespread integration of information, communication, and technology into our daily lives, has a crucial role in the future of development. Lastly, the simultaneous occurrence of these trends, such as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and growing natural disasters, is having a significant impact on cities, countries, and regions. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for the creation of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. The World Bank report, “Silver Hues: Building Age-Ready Cities,” maps global trends and their implications for urban areas and aligns with SDG Goal 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” and the “United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030)”. It provides guidance for city governments on how to create age-ready cities, filling a gap in the policy research on aging in urban areas. This note has been curated from the Silver Hues report. It summarizes the report’s key analysis, insights and findings and is tailored for audiences interested in the East Asia Pacific (EAP) region.