By Abbas Nazil
CBC News reports that a new international study has found governments across the world are largely failing to include people with disabilities in their climate change policies, even though this group is among the most vulnerable to extreme heat, disasters, and environmental disruption.
The research, released by a program at McGill University, reveals that fewer than one-third of countries mention disability at all in national climate plans, and when they do, the references lack concrete strategies, funding, or consultation with affected communities.
The report was led by human rights scholar Sébastien Jodoin, who said climate policies continue to reflect systemic ableism by ignoring the specific risks disabled people face during heat waves, floods, and other climate-driven emergencies.
Jodoin, who lives with multiple sclerosis, explained that high temperatures trigger severe fatigue and nerve pain for many people with the condition, making climate change not just an environmental issue but a direct health threat.
He noted that while some individuals can afford cooling equipment and medical care, many others cannot, particularly those facing poverty, discrimination, or limited access to social services.
The findings also show that disability often overlaps with other forms of vulnerability, including gender inequality, racial marginalization, and Indigenous status, compounding the dangers posed by climate disasters.
In Canada, national climate strategies reportedly recognize women and Indigenous communities but largely exclude people with disabilities, even in emergency response planning.
The report highlights the 2018 Montreal heat wave, where a large share of deaths involved people with schizophrenia, many of whom take medications that increase heat sensitivity and often live without strong support networks.
Following that crisis, Montreal authorities revised heat-emergency protocols to prioritize individuals with severe mental health conditions, demonstrating how inclusive planning can prevent loss of life.
Jodoin argues that disability-inclusive climate action strengthens society overall, citing accessible public transport and infrastructure that benefit families, older adults, and people with temporary injuries as well as those with permanent disabilities.
The CBC feature also examined rising pressure to begin deep-sea mining for minerals needed in renewable energy technologies.
The global regulator overseeing ocean floor resources, the International Seabed Authority, is facing calls to finalize rules that could permit commercial mining in international waters for the first time.
A Vancouver-based firm, The Metals Company, is pushing to extract metal-rich nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast deep-ocean area between Hawaii and Mexico known for its fragile ecosystems.
Supporters argue the materials are vital for electric vehicles and renewable infrastructure, a view echoed by the International Energy Agency and the World Economic Forum, which forecast sharp increases in mineral demand.
Scientists from institutions including the University of Hawaii warn that mining could destroy habitats that take millions of years to form and contain countless unknown species.
Environmental advocates such as MiningWatch Canada have urged the Canadian government to back a global pause on seabed mining until impacts are fully understood.
In response, Global Affairs Canada has said it is working with international partners to develop regulations that protect marine ecosystems and ensure environmental monitoring.
Together, the stories underline a central challenge of climate action, showing how the push for rapid solutions risks excluding vulnerable populations and damaging ecosystems if inclusion and caution are not placed at the heart of environmental policy.
