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The Forgotten 16%: Disability at the Frontlines of Climate Change

Updated: 4 days ago

Persons with disabilities are paying the highest price for climate change, but they are missing from climate action planning.


Two people on a bench and wheelchair face smokestacks and orange smog, with a small dog, in a bleak industrial landscape.
Climate change and disability by Revati Bhor

Born in a slum in Delhi, for Puneet, climate change was not a concept but rather his reality. With 45 degree celsius heat in a Delhi slum, invisible disability affected Puneet and his mother. Puneet with his dyslexia, dyspraxia, and stammering and his mother with her chronic asthma, gasped for air as power cuts silenced the fan and they realised that climate change affects everyone but not everyone equally.

Climate change has inevitably started impacting different parts of the world. The impact is distributed disproportionately, especially evident from the effect on disabled people.

Disability is defined as any long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with other barriers, may hinder the full and effective participation of disabled people in society on an equal footing with others according to the UNCRPD. Disability exists on a spectrum and no two people experience it the same way. Visible disabilities are immediately apparent, as people might use mobility aids like wheelchairs, mobility aids, etc whereas invisible disabilities are not immediately obvious like ADHD, autism, diabetes, epilepsy, lupus, etc. 

Even within these, there is a spectrum of types of disabilities. There are physical disabilities which affect movement or physical functioning like paralysis or muscular dystrophy. Sensory disabilities affect the senses like visual impairment, deafness, etc. Intellectual and developmental disabilities affect learning and development like autism, dyslexia, Down’s syndrome, etc. Mental health disabilities impact mental wellbeing like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, etc. Chronic Illnesses are long term health conditions which may vary on a day-to-day basis like diabetes, epilepsy, etc. Approximately, 1.3 billion people in the world are disabled, i.e. 16% of the world population or 1 in 6 people. 

Climate disasters or daily climate change (such as air or water pollution) affects disabled people disproportionately. Indian cities have been dominating the global pollution rankings and according to the report by EPIC, Delhi residents would have 10 more years to live if air pollution is reduced to meet WHO guidelines. 70.3µg/m³ was India’s average annual  particulate matter concentration in 2019 (highest in the world) whereas according to the WHO guidelines for PM2.5 is 5µg/m³. In simple words, PM2.5 are tiny particles, 100 times thinner than human eyes and invisible to the naked eye. They enter the air through burning fuels and natural dust and due to their size, humans' natural defenses are surpassed by these molecules causing both short and long term illnesses, making disabled people more vulnerable. With global food production expected to reduce due to climate change, inadequate inclusion of disabled people in adaptation planning leaves them with no food security and definitely no way to take care of their dietary challenges. 

Despite disabled people being disproportionately impacted by climate change, disabled people continue to be underrepresented in the policy sphere, especially in climate communications and policies. According to WHO, disabled people face widespread structural and attitudinal barriers across healthcare systems. Lack of knowledge, inadequate professional training, discriminatory practices, inaccessible infrastructure and communication, and gaps in disability data contribute massively to the health inequalities faced by this group. The inability to access necessary resources like food, water, shelter, etc on top of the infrastructural and knowledge gaps leaves disabled people in the worst condition in the face of climate change.

Climate change not only impacts people with existing disabilities but climate disasters also contribute to creating disabilities in the affected population. Floods, wildfires, heatwaves, etc can lead to injuries, long term health conditions and psychological trauma. Survivors of extreme climate change related events often face eco-anxiety i.e. a chronic fear of environmental doom which can look like anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.  

Why are disabled people at greater risk?

Caregiver stands beside a woman in a wheelchair near a clipboard checklist with check and X icons, in a warm indoor setting.
Climate change and disability by Revati Bhor

This disproportionate impact on the disabled people is not coincidental but rather the result of systemic failures wherein the very fabric of society was built ignoring the disabled people’s existence. Systemic ableism or institutional/structural ableism is disability discrimination built into the structure of society. Systematic ableism “includes policies, laws, and institutional norms that create barriers for disabled people”, and could be both intentional or an oversight. The discrimination is so deep-rooted that systematic ableism is seen as the norm, based on myths and stigmas. Some of the examples include public transport stations having stairs with no ramp or escalator for wheelchair users, disabled people being seen as “burdens” and as the person’s value is determined by their ability to contribute to the capitalist society. This results in justifying exclusion of disabled people from the workforce while perpetuating the myth of a lack of reasonable accommodation to be able to include them.

In terms of accessible public buildings (i.e. with basic features like ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms), India is significantly behind compared to its global counterparts (however, the number continues to disappoint globally as well). In India, the infrastructure continues to be inaccessible due to educational and awareness gap, existing infrastructural challenges and cultural barriers due to the stigma attached with disabled people, high costs alongside poor maintenance and general flouting of law obligations amongst developers. 

The discrimination extends itself to many other facets of life as well. In terms of education, disabled people face issues in accessing school buildings via insufficient essential support from the staff, lack of awareness regarding undiagnosed autism, ADHD in young girls or other mental health issues, with research showing that “85% of youth in juvenile detention facilities have learning and/or mental health disabilities”. Climate education, by itself, suffers from underrepresentation from the disabled youth segment in leadership positions. Many of the nature based learning exercises exclude students with mobility impairments due to the classes taking place in inaccessible natural environments. 

The structural ableism is evident in the workforce as well as research shows that disabled people face issues at work due to inaccessible workplaces, discriminating hiring practices, rigid productivity standards and lack of accommodation, amongst other examples. They suffer from the same discrimination in the social services wherein resources are arranged in a way which leaves them trapped in a poverty cycle making it harder for them to be able to leave the cycle to access healthcare, employment and housing (which also is a major issue in itself).

The society has been catered towards able-bodied people while disabled people are treated as an afterthought at best. 

This context makes it easier to understand how climate change would exacerbate the devastating realities of disabled people by putting them at greater risk and lowering their quality of life in the long run. 

How climate disasters affect disabled persons 

Paper-cut Earth burning at center with clouds, surrounded by factory, flooded house, thermometer, and tree icons on a warm sky background
Climate change and disability by Revati Bhor

Human Rights Watch interviewed many people to understand the implications in real time during climate-related disasters. The research indicated that disabled people face greater risk of death, displacement, and injury  due to climate-induced disasters due to a high probability of being unable to access help in a timely manner. Disabilities such as limited mobility, impaired hearing, impacted vision, cognitive disabilities, create inaccessibility of extreme weather warnings, barriers to emergency information and high risk of death and injury. These risks occur during preparatory measures such as emergency evacuation, during the climate disaster itself and in the aftermath of the disasters through displacement or inequitable disaster relief. 

In the Bangladesh flash floods of 2022, 45 people lost their lives, one of whom was a 20-year old Taslima. She had multiple disabilities and died due to the flooding and the consequent inaccessibility to a major hospital for lack of money for treatments. Sultana Begum, 45, revealed that she and her mother Nurunnesa, 65, with a physical disability,  were trapped during the flooding with water being chest deep and were rescued by their neighbours in the morning. However, despite basic treatment from the local doctor, Nurunnesa lost the use of her right hand and experienced walking difficulties. Shukuri Begum, 56, in the 2024 floods, had to leave behind her son with physical disabilities on the top of a stack of beds because she could not carry him through rising waters while moving to different shelter points. These are not isolated incidents but rather consistent rising patterns of preventable deaths in the disabled community in the face of climate change induced disasters. 

A 2026 study examined that the 2023 Chennai floods caused disruptions that were beyond material as it caused not just physical harm but also mental health issues like post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study of lived experiences of caregivers of children with disabilities, it was found that the caregivers alongside with children had temporary loss of earnings and were displaced for several days on average. The impact on children were grave as their therapy sessions, school, were affected hindering their structured routines and behavioural regressions and emotional instability, which was exacerbated due to the inadequate infrastructure as it increased physical risks (like snakes coming to home due to flood water or water being up to the hips of adults).

During the 2025 floods in Kolkata, Shampa Sengupta ,a disabled person himself, recalled that the Chief Minister of West Bengal had advised people to stay at home, forgetting about those who could not afford to do so. There was no advisory on the situation in sign language and the situation of homeless people (some of whom might be disabled themselves) was not reported at all. With home delivery services being stopped, disabled people living alone, relying on these services, were now left without necessities.

Heat stress during heatwaves can cause health issues like dehydration, heatstroke, skin illnesses, gastrointestinal disruptions, spontaneous childbirth, mental health deterioration, and more in both able-bodied and disabled populations. However, heatwaves and heat stress disproportionately affect disabled persons, through direct effects like heat-related illnesses and indirect effects like triggering or exacerbation of existing medical conditions. A higher risk of heat related illnesses can affect both physically and mentally disabled individuals, and socio-economic barriers reduce their access to timely and effective healthcare. Disabled people often use medications to control their symptoms/and or as preventive measures . 

However, many medications make people more prone to heat-related illness, due to some medications affecting the body's ability to regulate its temperature. Some medications may also become less effective as a result of heat stress. During the increasing frequency of heat waves in India, for many of the deaths, heat may have been ignored as an underlying trigger. Peer-reviewed studies have suggested that many heat-related deaths go unrecognised or are misclassified and approximately 20.74 % of global heatwave-related deaths happened in India from 1990 to 2019. According to the study, across India, an estimated 3,400 excess deaths occurred nationally during a single day of heatwave and “most of those who died lacked access to cooling and that the heatwave significantly impacted emergency medical services.”

How policies get disability justice wrong

Stylized world map with four location pins above a group of five figures, an orange leader in front of blue people, and bare trees.
Climate change and disability by Revati Bhor

Such incidents of disability exclusion result in high levels of mistrust of governments and aid organisations and worsen psychological distress of vulnerable populations. Economic status plays a significant role in people’s ability to deal with extreme weather events and if those in poverty are disabled, it further strains their ability to deal with climate change resulting in a toxic cycle with no way out. 

Across geographies, climate governance reveals a persistent gap between formal commitments to inclusion and the lived realities of disabled people. With the increase of climate risks, especially in low and middle income nations, there is an increase in adaptation strategies such as updated disaster management plans, climate action plans, heat action plans, and more. It is crucial that policies made to adapt to climate change address the vulnerability of disabled populations and make adequate accommodations. 

Bangladesh, for example, being at the frontlines of climate change, offers a stark example. While the country has adopted progressive frameworks, such as the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act (2013) and the National Disaster Management Plan (2021-2025), which acknowledge that disabled people are frequently overlooked, these commitments are unevenly implemented. The catastrophic floods in Sunamganj and Sylhet in 2022 exposed how disability inclusion remains more aspiration rather than operational. Despite policies directing local disaster management committees to identify and support persons with disabilities, prioritisation in post-disaster relief distribution is notably absent, leaving many without aid. 

The policy failure is structural but also psychological: eroding trust while exacerbating vulnerability.This disconnect between policy and practice is reinforced by planning and communication failures. Disability-inclusive early warning systems vary widely, and humanitarian assistance often fails to reach disabled people altogether. Even infrastructure labeled “accessible”, such as cyclone shelters with ramps but no accessible toilets, demonstrates a checkbox approach to inclusion rather than meaningful accessibility. 

Eco-ableism is embedded in India’s climate policy, evident by the heat crisis as despite record-breaking temperatures in Delhi, disability is nearly invisible in national and state action plans. Cooling centers, early warning systems and emergency services often remain inaccessible, stripping disabled people of fundamental rights to health, mobility and safety. 

Across contexts, the absence of disabled voices in climate policymaking and communication sustains these gaps, turning climate hazards into human rights failures. The first step towards disability sensitive public planning is to embed organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in the design and implementation of climate and disaster policies. Research suggests that designing cities, policies, social welfare schemes and aid programs to accommodate persons with disabilities makes the outcomes more accessible for all - not just those with disabilities. Investing in disability infrastructure and human systems is beneficial for everyone.

“When we design for disability, we design for everyone.”  

Disability and the climate justice lens

Instead of looking at disabled people through the lens of passive vulnerable victims, climate justice recognises their individuality, rights, agency, and their essential knowledge to lead in shaping climate responses. It is due to structural inequalities rather than their impairment that limits their access to housing, healthcare, transport, emergency broadcast, and even political power. Writing disability into climate action helps ensure those with disabilities are not erased.

A justice-based approach begins with community-led planning. Research increasingly shows that climate action is more effective when co-produced with people most affected. Organisation of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) possess vital contextual knowledge about risk, accessibility, and resilience, yet are rarely involved meaningfully in policy design. Where OPDs are not present, including individuals living with disability can also support policies and solutions. Inclusive disaster preparedness, such as accessible early warning systems, evacuation planning, and shelters designed with disabled users in mind, must be developed through direct participation rather than post hoc accommodation. 

Another possible solution is inclusive urban resilience with cities turning into hotspots for climate risk with rising global urbanisation. The early warning systems such as disaster alerts must be available for deaf, blind, neurodivergent communities leading to a physically, cognitively, and socially accessible urban resilience. Climate adaptation measures like cooling centers or disaster shelters must be accessible to all, especially those with limited mobility.

We must embed diverse vulnerabilities into urban planning or any infrastructure development, taking into account disability in addition to age, gender, income, housing tenure, and health. Disabled people need to be included in the planning process of these designs rather than as an afterthought in infrastructural development. Barcelona, for example, is one of the most accessible cities in Europe as out of 216 Metro stations, only 12 have yet not been made accessible for wheelchair users and it is mandatory for new urban infrastructure to have inclusive design.   


Way Forward

Representation and leadership of disabled communities is required in climate justice. The lived experiences of the disabled are left out in the limited research on climate and disability. This is crucial to challenge dominant passive narratives about disabled people and to replace it with evidence-driven research to highlight disabled people’s adaptive strategies and resilience to face climate change. It is the result of structural ableism embedded in infrastructure, education, policies, emergency response, climate funding, that fails disabled people in the face of disasters like floods, heatwaves, as discussed in previous sections. When disabled lives are treated as peripheral, climate action itself becomes incomplete and unjust. 

Disabled people must not be limited to being beneficiaries of climate policy but be added as decision-makers, researchers, and activists. 

Additionally, climate funding must be disability-inclusive. Major climate finance mechanisms increasingly recognise that excluding disabled people risks reinforcing inequality and violating human rights obligations under the CRPD. Funding frameworks must incorporate disability-disaggregated data, target investments, and accountability mechanisms to ensure that climate action truly leaves no one behind. Climate justice is not achievable without centering the voices, rights, and leadership of the world’s largest minority. 


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