The Scorching Reality: Inclusive Climate Action a Must in Face of Extreme Heat

Extreme Heat Signals Need for Inclusive Climate Action

Rising Temperatures Take Disproportionate Toll on People with Disabilities, Older People

As the Northern Hemisphere experiences another surge in extreme heat, questions arise regarding the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations. Recent investigations by Human Rights Watch have shed light on how extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change disproportionately affect people with disabilities and older people. These groups, already facing social, economic, and health challenges, are at increased risk during emergencies.

A Summer of Climate Disasters

The summer of 2022 was described by The New York Times as a “summer of climate disasters.” Heatwaves, flooding, and flash floods resulted in significant loss of life and widespread physical and mental health distress. In Europe, at least 15,000 people died from the effects of heat. Pakistan witnessed 1,739 deaths due to June flooding, and 7.2 million people were impacted by flash floods in Bangladesh. These events highlight the urgent need for inclusive climate action.

The Disproportionate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

During the 2021 heatwave in British Columbia, Canada, a majority of the 600 people who died were individuals with psychosocial disabilities. This vulnerable group faces an elevated risk of death during heatwaves due to various factors, including the heat exacerbating mental health symptoms, difficulties in regulating body temperature, and social exclusion.

Similar scenarios unfolded during recent flooding in Australia and Bangladesh. People with disabilities and older people faced life-threatening circumstances and physical and mental health distress. In Spain’s 2022 heatwave, 98 percent of the over 4,500 heat-related deaths were individuals aged 65 and older.

Insufficient Support and Inclusion

People with disabilities and older people, despite being at particular risk of heat-related illness and death, often receive insufficient support during extreme weather events. These vulnerable groups are frequently left out of climate-related planning and response efforts, leading to inadequate protection.

In Australia and Canada, the lack of targeted support for people with disabilities and older people contributed to unnecessary suffering and death. In Andalusia, Spain, emergency messaging about extreme heat was not provided in formats accessible to people with disabilities, such as sign language or Easy-to-Understand. In Bangladesh, individuals with disabilities, including children, died due to the inability to access proper assistance.

Inclusive Climate Action as a Solution

With warnings of unprecedented weather events and new temperature records becoming more frequent and intense, it is crucial to prioritize the safety, support, and meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities and older people in climate change discussions and responses. This includes ensuring that emergency messaging is provided in accessible formats and that targeted support is in place to address their specific needs.

Gabrielle Peters, a disabled policy analyst and survivor of British Columbia’s 2021 heatwave, eloquently emphasizes the urgency of this inclusive approach when she states, “There is a difference between facing the prospect of death because it is part of the reality of being human, and … because you have been put in a situation where you should and could survive but have been denied the tools and means to do so.”

Conclusion

The rising temperatures and extreme weather events we continue to witness are stark reminders of the urgent need for inclusive climate action. It is essential that governments and policymakers prioritize the safety and well-being of vulnerable populations, particularly people with disabilities and older people, in their climate change discussions and responses. Only by including and supporting these groups can we prevent further deaths and ensure a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

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