What is the connection between climate change and disability? 

Climate change exacerbates inequality and disproportionately impacts poor and marginalized groups, such as persons with disabilities. Yet, climate and environment policies, strategies, and projects rarely consider the impact on persons with disabilities or incorporate inclusive development strategies.

In this policy brief, we use our research and project monitoring experience to examine how multilateral development banks (MDBs) are addressing the linkage between climate change and disability in policies and projects. Our research and project monitoring experience has demonstrated that MDB climate and environment policies and strategies rarely consider the impact on persons with disabilities. The lack of consideration adversely affects persons with disabilities and places them at risk. In addition, MDBs lack an understanding of how to address intersectional social and environmental issues. As there is more research and evidence on the cross-cutting nature of climate and disability, the World Bank and other MDBs will need to incorporate an acknowledgement of the interconnectedness into their safeguards and project design to create more inclusive development projects that do not harm persons with disabilities or the environment.

Read this policy brief.