Disability Justice

Unpacking the disproportionate climate risks and importance of inclusion for people with disabilities

Podcast: Disability Justice | Our Climate Voices

This episode is a conversation between four leaders from the Disability Justice Movement, who talk about how their “struggles for disability justice connect with the fight for climate justice” and share their “vision of how we can build a climate just future.” [1:15:36]

Climate Darwinism Makes Disabled People Expendable | Forbes

“Not only does more severe weather endanger the lives of disabled people and throw them into even more profound economic insecurity, but preventative measures proposed have thus far neglected the existence of the disability community. As one of the most vulnerable populations, disabled people cannot afford the ignorance of the non-disabled.” Author: Imani Barbarin, published November 9, 2019

Disabled People Cannot Be “Expected Losses” in the Climate Crisis | Truthout

“Working for climate justice requires challenging the root causes of vulnerability, rather than treating disabled people as the inevitable casualties of climate change.” Author: Julia Watts Belser, published September 20, 2019

Indigenous People With Disabilities Are on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis | Truthout

“Environmental degradation leads to a host of illnesses and disabilities that create further harms to Indigenous people, specifically.” Author: Jen Deerinwater, published October 11, 2021

Academic Article: Disability and Climate Change – A Critical Realist Model of Climate Justice

Research by Molly M. King and Maria A. Gregg analyzes how the climate crisis impacts people with disabilities, as well as the ability of these communities to learn about and respond to climate risks. Published 2022