A Message to Leaders of COP28 From People with Disabilities

People with disabilities need to be heard on climate change issues. 
 
 
Vashkar Bhattacharjee, Bangladesh 
People with disabilities are the most vulnerable communities affected by the climate change. 
 
Nidhi Ashok Goyal, India 

Let me give you a few examples. 
 
Vashkar Bhattacharjee, Bangladesh 
Displacement is one of the biggest challenges for people with disabilities. 

 
Nidhi Ashok Goyal, India 
I live in Delhi, NCR, in India, where smoke levels are so high, people using assitd devices for respiration, all of them, it's impossible for them to live. 
 
Srinidhi Raghavan, India 

Summers can be very hard. Months of headaches and migraines, a lack of temperature regulation within the body, many persons with disabilities such as those with multiple sclerosis, living with mental health conditions that need anti-depressants, those with chronic fatigue and autoimmune conditions, all experience this at higher frequencies. 
 

Pierre Cooke, Trinidad & Tobago 
Year after year, persons in the Caribbean experience a sense of climate anxiety. Anxiety around the anticipation of some major catastrophic storm, disaster, and it's time we understand how that anxiety affects our mental health. 

 
Vashkar Bhattacharjee, Bangladesh 
We want our rights. We believe that people with disabilities can lead and perform like others to make disability inclusive climate change movement. We need disability-inclusive policies, laws and activities to ensure equal access for all. 
 

Pierre Cooke, Trinidad & Tobago 
I'm calling for more research, more data, a better understanding of exactly how we can look at climate change and mental health and create better solutions. 

Aphrodite Janeway, Canada 

The only viable solution in the world we live in is autonomy, true autonomy. When governments pay attention and meaningfully include those most at risk of climate change harms and it includes us people with disabilities, it will in turn enhance protection and safety for everyone. 

 
Nidhi Ashok Goyal, India 

Include persons across disabilities. Have them at the table. If we don’t bring persons with disabilities ttao the table and think of an inclusive climate change response, we’re again looking at not just a future but a today where we’re leaving them out and behind.