Today is #EarthDay2021 https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt="">

A day to celebrate #ClimateAction https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt=""> .

And a day to remember that climate justice needs to be inclusive.

Disabled people are disproportionately affected by extreme climate events.

Yet we& #39;re rarely included in those conversations.

Here& #39;s an example.

The ban on plastic straws was seen as a victory by climate change campaigners, and governments and corporations rapidly implemented it.

If single-use plastic is a big environmental issue, the focus on the straw harmed many disabled people.

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Because many non disabled people do not need straws & consider it a non-essential item there was overall support for the move.

If it would have been an item the majority of people needed then the ban wouldn& #39;t have happened so fast.

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The group that spearheaded the campaign - Lonely Whale - even acknowledged that the straw was a symbol more than anything.

Plastic straw pollution only represents 0,025% of overall plastic pollution.

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#EarthDay2021 https://abs.twimg.com/hashflags... draggable="false" alt="">

Disabled people care about climate change, and want action.

But their needs and their lives shouldn& #39;t be overlooked.

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Plastic straws must remain available to those who need it - people whose feeding and medication intake etc. depends on it.

We cannot erase a whole group of people when taking action to tackle climate change.

Especially those most affected by its after effects.

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We& #39;re not included in climate activism.

The Paris agreement barely mentions us while the UN Convention on disability rights (UNCRPD) doesn& #39;t mention climate change at all.

Climate change is the biggest threat to the world, and the biggest threat to the disability community.