Friends of the Earth present: an Audience with our Representatives – Local, Regional and National

 Evacuations by road from LA, for example, was predominantly by private vehicles rather than accessible community transport or taxis.

Disabled people are also disproportionately impacted by air pollution. This might be because of our pre-existing health conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  It might be because our limited access to indoor public spaces or to enclosed public transport means we spend more time in outdoor polluted spaces.  The consequences can include increased hospitalisations and even premature death; reduced quality of life including restrictions on daily activities and social participation; and economic hardship through increased healthcare and living costs and loss of earnings (if working age).

Given this, one might think that policies aimed at sustainable environmental change would have access at their core. Sadly, too often such policies can themselves make the situation worse for us. 

So what about everyday impacts of environmental policies themselves that are detrimental for disabled people?

Here are just some examples, there are plenty more:

• Transport/low emission plans that introduce continuous cycle lanes that leave those of us dependent on a car (such as Blue Badge holders) and without off-road parking spaces unable to park outside our home and hence trapped; or that introduce floating bus stops that are hazardous for many of us especially those of us with sight or mobility impairments;

• Electric vehicle charging cables across pavements causing a barrier or trip hazard; and the lack of accessible charging points;

• Cycle storage containers that obstruct pavements or even get placed in Blue Badge parking bays – and anyway rarely include provision for accessible cycles.

• Planters intended to ‘green’ our towns and cities that are positioned in ways that make it harder for us to get around. 

• Rewilding that is done in such a way that it leads to vegetation obstructing walkways.

• Installation of foot-operated waste and recycling bins (intended to reduce waste flying around) that cannot be operated by some of us.

• Introducing enclosed freezer and fridge units in supermarkets with the claim of being ‘green’ that thereby means the enclosed food is inaccessible to many of us and robs us of our independence.

• Banning single use plastic straws which then adversely affects those of us who need them to eat and drink (alternatives don’t work or, even worse, can be dangerous).

Why does this happen?

The Social Model of Disability formed the basis of the Disability Rights Movement in the UK and elsewhere. It says that disabled people are not fully included in society because systems, services, institutions and environments have been created in a way that excludes, segregates and dehumanizes us. The result is that we are denied access to work, education, healthcare, leisure, politics and every other aspect of life on an equal basis and hence our human rights are not fully respected.   In other words, we are disabled not by our impairments but by the way society is set up and organized in an ableist way. The parallels with other forms of oppression and discrimination such as racism and sexism are clear, with perhaps one key difference: that tackling ableism inherently requires changes to physical infrastructures as well as attitudes.

Eco-ableism – a term used by FoE as well as more widely – describes the sets of beliefs or practices done in the name of environmentalism that discriminate against disabled people.

So what can be done about it?

By putting human rights and equality – and hence access - at the core of plans to address climate change and air pollution, we can move forward together rather than leaving us as disabled people behind.  This requires attitudinal change and dialogue to find ways that achieve the same ends but with different means – such as in Bristol

We need to recognise that disabled people do not differ from non-disabled people in their attitudes towards the environment. We are not vulnerable or incapable- in fact, such representations are harmful. It is the situational barriers such as income, lack of equal access, exclusion from discussions around policies and measures and attitudinal barriers that limit our participation.  This can be further heightened for those of us who require formal and/or informal care and input from others to maintain our independence. So a further barrier to us making more sustainable consumption choices is a social context that puts the responsibility on individuals alone to make sustainable choices.

There is an exciting initiative called Sensing Climate, based at the University of Exeter, that is sharing ideas and resources from around the world, to create Disability-inclusive climate adaptation by ‘bringing people together to explore opportunities to make life better and more socially inclusive through our responses to the climate crisis, rather than deepening or creating new forms of inequality and injustice’.  Check them out at https://sensing-climate.com/ - it has some amazing resources and runs regular online talks.

No climate justice without social justice

You can find about the York Disability Forum here.