The World Aging Data Explorer (WADE) is a state-of-the-art platform that revolutionizes our understanding of global aging trends. WADE provides easy access to the innovative dynamic metrics of aging developed at IIASA. These metrics take the changing characteristics of people into account, thereby providing policymakers, researchers, and educators with a view of aging appropriate for our changing demographic environment.

The World Aging Data Explorer integrates IIASA’s pioneering contributions to aging research, featuring:

  • Dynamic Measures of Aging – These can be used to produce more accurate assessments of population aging as well as longevity-adjusted public policies. One of these is a forward-looking metric that redefines "old age" based on remaining life expectancy rather than chronological age.
  • Intergenerational Equitable Pension Ages – These pension ages ensure equity across generations, safeguarding economic sustainability and policy stability.

The innovative dynamic measures of aging were produced by Sergei Scherbov, IIASA Distinguished Emeritus Research Scholar, and Warren Sanderson, IIASA alumnus and Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Stony Brook University in New York, USA.

According to Scherbov, “the World Aging Data Explorer is a powerful tool for those shaping the future of aging research and policy. Policymakers can use it to design equitable, sustainable policies for aging populations; researchers can analyze the impact of demographic shifts on health systems, pensions, and economies; and educators can illustrate how aging metrics evolve and affect society.”

Key features of the World Aging Data Explorer

  • Comprehensive comparisons: The new dynamic measures of aging are compared with the traditional measures that do not take the changing characteristics of populations into account.
  • Dynamic data visualization: Interactive plots and tables allow users to explore aging trends over time, with filtering options by country, region, sex, and other demographic dimensions for tailored analysis.
  • Comparison of UN population revisions: By comparing projections from the 2022 and 2024 UN World Population Prospects (WPP) revisions, users can examine how updated assumptions impact demographic forecasts.
  • Top and bottom performers: The tool ranks countries by selected indicators, helping users identify leading and lagging nations. Customizable filters refine analyses based on population thresholds and other factors.
  • Comprehensive metadata and definitions: Each indicator is supported by detailed metadata, ensuring clear interpretation of IIASA’s aging metrics and equitable pension age measures.
  • User-friendly interface: The World Aging Data Explorer offers seamless navigation through interactive visualizations, ranked tables, and embedded resources. Users can download data and visualizations to support research, policy development, and education.

The platform is powered by data from the UN World Population Prospects 2024, including historical data and projections spanning 1950–2100. The comparison feature highlights differences in population projections, aging metrics, and assumptions between the 2022 and 2024 revisions, providing critical insights into how demographic methodologies evolve.

The AGING Data Explorer is freely available online.

Visit https://demog.iiasa.ac.at/apps/world.html to explore the future of population aging in your country or region. The website includes a copy of the book Prospective Longevity: A New Vision of Population Aging (Harvard University Press, 2019), where more details about the new measures of aging can be found.

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