THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The document argues that persons with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change and are frequently overlooked in policy-making. It provides a reference guide of human rights obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sendai Framework, alongside a compilation of UNFCCC decisions—including the Paris Agreement—that recognize the need to engage persons with disabilities in mitigation, adaptation, and capacity-building efforts.

• Persons with disabilities, estimated to be around 15% of the global population, are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change due to existing marginalization, poverty, and barriers to accessing healthcare, transportation, and humanitarian assistance.
• Climate policies often fail to include persons with disabilities, leading to inaccessible mitigation programs (such as public transportation) and adaptation measures that result in higher mortality rates during severe weather events.
• The transition to a low-carbon economy presents a potential opportunity for increased employment for persons with disabilities, with an estimated 18 million new green technology jobs expected by 2030.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by 180 countries, establishes obligations for states to ensure non-discrimination, accessibility, and the active involvement of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes.
• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) emphasizes the need for a disability perspective in all disaster policies and the empowerment of persons with disabilities to lead universally accessible response and recovery efforts.
• The UNFCCC process has formally recognized the rights of persons with disabilities in several key instruments, including the Paris Agreement and the Cancun Agreements, noting that climate effects are felt most acutely by those vulnerable due to disability.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Disability-Rights-in-Climate-Action_Dec-2019.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Disability-Rights-in-Climate-Action_Dec-2019.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Disability-Rights-in-Climate-Action_Dec-2019.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndrights, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Disability-Rights-in-Climate-Action_Dec-2019.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }