Beyond Vulnerability: The Rights and Agency of People with Disabilities in the Climate Crisis

Although persons with disabilities are increasingly understood as uniquely vulnerable to the climate crisis, they continue to be neglected in climate adaptation and disaster risk readiness policies. As a result, people with disabilities experience disproportionate rates of mortality and morbidity in the context of severe weather events (such as floods, cyclones, or heatwaves) and slow-onset phenomena (such as coastal erosion or gradual increases in temperature) fueled by the climate crisis. The adverse effects of the climate crisis are felt by most acutely by persons with disabilities affected by additional forms of systemic discrimination, including women, girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, Indigenous people, and people of color.

Further, many measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions, such as bans on single-use plastics, have only reinforced social inequities for people with disabilities. More broadly, climate decision-making processes are failing to engage people with disabilities, integrate their knowledge, and recognize their role in addressing the climate crisis. Disability-inclusive climate decision-making and solutions are not only essential for safeguarding the lives and dignity of persons with disabilities, but may also enhance the equity and effectiveness of the global transition to climate-resilient and low-carbon societies.

To advance this critical discussion, the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School, the Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), and the Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Research Programme (DICARP) at McGill Law Faculty has convened this symposium containing reflections on the rights and agency of persons with disabilities in the climate crisis.