Disaster by design: the need for disability-inclusive climate action

This briefing shows how current climate policies and emergency responses continue to ignore the rights, needs, and lived experiences of persons with disabilities. Inaccessible buildings, missing preparedness plans, and rising energy costs are more than policy failures: they threaten lives. Persons with disabilities are more likely to be left behind during disasters, excluded from planning, and denied access to essential services. This briefing reveals the real human cost of inaccessible climate responses.

What will you find in this briefing?

• Testimonies from persons with disabilities affected by floods, heatwaves, and energy poverty in Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Wales.
• A policy case study on the EU Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings, showing how climate legislation can and must be inclusive.
• Clear demands for disability-inclusive climate action, grounded in international human rights law.
• Recommendations for governments, EU institutions, and climate advocates to ensure no one is left behind.