Climate change
Climate change disproportionately affects people with disabilities, who are estimated to comprise 20% of those most at risk of climate change. The impacts of climate change creates additional challenges on-top of existing inequities for people with disabilities, which significantly heightens their overall climate risks, particularly regarding food security and access to food and water. People with disabilities experience heightened relocation challenges during climate-induced displacement, due to physical accessibility barriers, reduced support from family members, discriminatory migration laws, and inaccessible information.
The 2015 Paris Agreement mandates inclusive climate adaptation planning. However, people with disabilities remain largely excluded from decision-making processes at both national and international levels, including within the UNFCCC framework. This inclusion of people with disabilities in climate policy, action, and climate programs is essential for achieving climate justice.
Resources in this section provide evidence, research, and guidance relating to the impacts of climate change on people with disabilities.
CBM Global IAG and Global Disability Innovation Hub (2025) Advancing Disability Inclusive Climate Action: A resource guide for global practitioners
This guide supports practitioners working in urban climate action, nature-based solutions and energy transition. It draws on global consultations with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and climate experts, and consolidates tools, frameworks and case studies into one accessible resource. It also introduces a three-tiered framework for systematic action: safeguarding, inclusive approaches and targeted interventions.
Kevin Akike & Sarah Goulding (2025) Disability and climate change – inclusive futures
This practice note explores how climate change responses can be strengthened by centring the lived experience and leadership of persons with disabilities in the Pacific.
Inclusive Futures (2023) Disability inclusion in climate justice frameworks and environmental and climate risk assessment processes
This rapid review explores how disability inclusion is integrated into climate justice frameworks and environmental and climate risk assessment processes.
Pacific Disability Forum (2022) Disability and Climate Change in the Pacific: Findings from Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu
This report highlights the impact of climate change on people with disabilities in Pacific island nations.
IDA & Disability Inclusive Climate Action Research Program (2022) Disability Rights in National Climate Policies
This report provides an analysis of how States are recognising people with disabilities and their rights in national climate policies. It provides recommendations for enhancing disability inclusion in national climate policy-making.
CBM Global (2023) Climate Advocacy Roadmap
This resource was developed by CBM Global to emphasises the importance of disability inclusion in climate justice.
Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network (2021) Promoting Disability-Inclusive Climate Change Action
This report shares the findings and recommendations on the intersection of climate change and disability inclusion, from surveying the Global Action on Disability (GLAD)'s Network, guided by the disability-inclusive climate action working group.
IDA (2023) The Impact of Climate Change on Indigenous Peoples with Disabilities in Baringo County, Kenya.
This report summarises key findings on the impact of climate change on indigenous people with disabilities in Baringo County, Kenya.
CBM Global (2022) The impact of climate change: From people with disabilities in the places we work
This document captures the perspectives of people with disabilities who have been affected by climate change, and documents how CBM Global is responding and contributing to inclusive climate action.
