At the recent United Nations climate negotiations in Egypt, disability activists urged governments to include people with disabilities in their plans to address climate change. In response, the member states adopted an “overarching decision” and a climate action plan that reference the disability community. But those steps still fall short of the needs and demands of people with disabilities.
Recent reports show that people with disabilities have been systematically neglected in U.N. climate negotiations and domestic climate policies worldwide. Amid unprecedented efforts to tackle the climate crisis, the United States has the opportunity and responsibility to ensure that climate action at home and globally doesn’t leave people with disabilities behind.
Worldwide, more than 1 billion people with disabilities face the risks of rising sea levels, reduced access to clean water and food, and death as a result of climate change. People with disabilities are two to four times more likely to die or be critically injured during disasters such as hurricanes, heatwaves and floods. Hot weather poses grave health dangers, including for those with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. Research suggests that people with psychosocial disabilities have three times greater of a risk of death during heatwaves.
