Although the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities contains several obligations for countries to integrate disability into their climate change adaptation strategies, the reality is quite different. Only 10 States establish the disability-mitigation link in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the roadmaps that set out the efforts undertaken by each country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.
In this context, the conference "Fostering Disability Inclusion in the Field of Climate Mitigation was held on 17 June 2022, under the framework of COSP15,At this event, some of the key issues that need to be further strengthened were revealed, given that the general exclusion of people with disabilities from mitigation efforts reinforces social inequalities and undermines the effectiveness of climate policies. In this regard, Rishabh Dhir of the International Labour Organisation explained:
"As we strengthen engagement at the international level, we must do so at the local level. We need to make sure that plans are developed in an inclusive way, so that we listen to all the needs raised by people with disabilities. Collaboration between countries will be an important part of promoting rights and language as a whole within the Paris Agreement, and we need to make sure that are sensitised to the issues that people with disabilities face with
regard to climate impacts.”
It is therefore essential that climate mitigation actions take into account a number of premises:
  • Assess and take into account the differential impacts of climate mitigation measures on the rights of people with disabilities through an intersectional approach.
  • Develop and implement evidence-based climate mitigation policies to prevent and minimize the adverse impacts of climate change on people with disabilities and their rights.
  • Provide accessible information on climate change to people with disabilities, strengthen their capacity to participate in climate mitigation decision-making, and ensure that they have access to justice and effective remedies when they suffer harm due to climate action and inaction.
  • Support international efforts to mitigate climate change in developing countries and enhance the rights of people with disabilities in this context. DHUB is grateful for the development of these points of encounter and reflection, as well as for the contributions of all the speakers,who have shared their valuable experiences:
● Sébastien Jodoin, Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Research Programme, McGill University.
● Rishabh Dhir, International Labour Organization, who talked about “Disability Inclusion in the Green Economy”.
● Nadia Hadad, European Disability Forum, who focused on “Making the European Green New Deal work for People with Disabilities”.
● Pavan Muntha, Swadhikaar Center for Disabilities Information, Research and Resource Development, who explained how to approach “Disability Inclusion in the Context of Land-Based Carbon Sequestration”.
● Dr. Kay Inckle, Campaigns & Policy Manager, Wheels for Wellbeing, who spoke aboutdelves into how “Enhancing the Accessibility of Low-Carbon Transportation”.