Introduction

People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate change; however, they have been traditionally excluded from conversations about national plans and responses to climate change. Including the disabled community in decision making is key to addressing potential harms and designing effective, inclusive solutions. 

Disabled Community Disproportionately Affected

Many studies provide empirical evidence that climate change poses a particularly great risk for the disabled community. A study in Australia documented that between 2001 and 2018,  89% of heat wave fatalities were people with some type of disability, and actually many had multiple disabilities both physical and mental. Additionally, after Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas in 2017, people with disabilities were disproportionately affected and exposed to harms. Areas flooded by Hurricane Harvey were overrepresented by disabled populations. The highest proportion of people living in public housing being exposed to environmental hazards were people with disabilities. 

While people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, they have often been excluded from decision-making surrounding climate change, including in  drafting national plans and climate responses. 

Inclusivity and Accessibility In Practice

Engaging people with disabilities in developing, designing and implementing climate resilient solutions can help protect their livelihoods and autonomy. Meaningful participation can look different in many ways including conducting research to have more data on how people with disabilities are affected and specific ways to help. As well, to develop new technologies and innovations that assist people with disabilities in climate emergencies like early warning systems, communication, and adaptive infrastructure. Spaces can be more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. More research is needed on infrastructure design that both reduces emissions and simultaneously will not put disabled people at more risk in climate emergencies, for example, adding ramps and automatic door openers, widening doorways, and having accessible bathrooms. It is also important to host public events in accessible locations to ensure that people with disabilities feel welcomed and valued. Methods of communication should also be accessible like using captions in videos, adding text descriptions and making online materials that work with screen readers so that low vision individuals can also access them. 

Disability-Inclusive Climate Solutions

In addition to educating the community about the importance of disability-inclusive climate solutions and for the disabled community to be educated and equipped for climate disaster risk mitigation, it is vital for the disabled community to be part of the large-scale decision making process and promote meaningful participation. By providing people with disabilities with a greater understanding of the impacts that climate change will have on their lives, then they can be more able to respond to effects of climate change and access the resources they need. Expert Dr. Michael Stein points out that everyone knows their own needs and livelihoods best; hence, it is vital to reach out to the disabled community and include them in the conversation and decision making for climate solutions that will support the disabled community who are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. 

About our guest

Michael Stein is the co-founder of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability. As a world leader on disability law, Dr. Stein participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Dr. Stein became the first known person with a disability to be a member of the Harvard Law Review. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his work in disability rights. 

Resources

• Avci, Bratchell, Browning, Coates, Gissing, and Van Leeuwen, Heat wave fatalities, (2001-2008).
• Chakraborty, Collins, and Grineski, Hurricane Harvey and people with disabilities, (2019).
• Akyeampong, Alford, Chakraborty, Daniels-Mayes, Gallegos, Grech, Groce, Gurung, Hans, Harpur, Jodoin, Lord, Macanawai, McClain-Nhlapo, Stein, Susteren, Advancing Disability-Inclusive Climate Research, (2024).
• Szekeres, 8 Ways  to Include People with Disabilities in Climate Action, (2023).
• Nina D. L, How to Include People with Disabilities, (2021).
• Hélène T., Disability-Inclusive Approaches to Climate Action, (2023).

For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/disability-inclusive-climate-solutions-with-michael-stein/.