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@UNHumanRights has released a study setting out key principles & recommendations for protecting & promoting #disabilityrights in the context of #ClimateChange. In this thread, I’ll summarize its key conclusions & recommendations. https://ohchr.org/EN/Issues/HRAndClimateChange/Pages/PersonsWithDisabilities.aspx
Disabled persons are more severely affected by #ClimateChange because of economic, social & institutional barriers. Intersecting forms of discrimination further exacerbate the climate risks faced by women, children & minorities with disabilities.
The importance of adopting an intersectional lens for #disability & #climatejustice has been emphasized by Pratima Gurung, the general secretary for Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/nothing-about-us-without-us-struggle-inclusion-indigenous
Due to #ableist & #inaccessible climate adaptation & disaster risk reduction & relief efforts, disabled persons experience disproportionate rates of mortality in climate-fuelled severe weather events, such as cyclones, floods & heatwaves.
The impact of climate change on #healthsystems can also exacerbate existing health #inequalities by disrupting social protection systems and essential healthcare services that a are critical to the #righttohealth of disabled persons.
As climate impacts affect agriculture & fisheries, climate change is predicted to worsen #foodsecurity. These resulting food shortages create additional challenges for protecting the #righttofood of disabled persons who are already at greater risk for malnutrition.
Climate impacts also undermine the #righttohousing of disabled persons. Possibilities for resettlement in the face of #climatechange are further limited by inaccessible transportation & discriminatory immigration policies. https://wid.org/2018/09/26/climate-related-migration/
Water shortages and #droughts will increase as a consequence of climate change. This will further exacerbate the social and economic barriers that persons with disabilities face in accessing water needed for daily life.
Persons with disabilities already experience high levels of under- and #unemployment. Climate change will amplify these challenges, as job opportunities are lost because of the loss of livelihoods resulting from climate impacts.
The study also emphasizes that states have legal obligations to protect disability rights in the context of climate change. See this report by @ONGinclusiva, @ciel_tweets & @ccdonline for an overview https://shar.es/abWn4B
@UNHumanRights concludes that governments are obliged to take ambitious climate mitigation and adaptation measures to prevent and minimize the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the rights of persons with disabilities.
States are also required to foster inclusive climate-related decision-making processes through meaningful, informed & effective participation of persons with disabilities. This is critical because of the on-going neglect & exclusion of the disability community in policy-making.
In turn, ableist policy processes lead to ableist climate policies. For example, despite the importance of mass transit systems to efforts to reduce GHG emissions, most of these systems are inaccessible to wheelchair users: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/sep/21/access-denied-disabled-metro-maps-versus-everyone-elses
The study specifically recommends the creation of a constituency for persons with disabilities under the @UNFCCC & other measures to ensure the accessibility of meeting venues - key points first raised by @jgboberg & @keraoregan in the climate negotiations.
To empower persons with disabilities as social, economic, climate, and human rights actors, the study encourages the promotion of equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities and strengthening #capacitybuilding, #education & #vocationaltraining.
Lastly, the study encourages the promotion of disability-inclusive #climatefinance & international cooperation to respect, protect & fulfil the rights of persons with disabilities in developing countries.
This study is an important international resource for raising awareness of the linkages between #disability & #climatejustice & challenging #ableism in field of climate change.
