© Image copyright Mark Simmons.

The Sensing Climate project has just launched the ‘Crip Up Climate Conversations’ series – a set of guidance notes sharing new stories of climate and disability and suggestions for how to support respectful conversations about disability and the climate crisis.

The resources aim to support people to move beyond the single story of vulnerability that so often frames discussions about climate change and disabled people; a perspective that overlooks the causes of vulnerability and the rich knowledge and skills of disabled people within climate action.

Climate change is disabling; it is making our world more uncertain, more unpredictable, more harmful. Yet the people who know what it means to navigate a disabling world – disabled people – are often left out of this work.

One of the authors of the guidance, Dr Sarah Bell, explained how stories are central to how climate and disability are often understood: “Stories have powerful effects on how we understand the world. They may echo existing stereotypes and expectations of how people live – or ‘should’ live – in the world. Or, they can be used to resist these; and to widen out whose lives, and ways of living, are valued and respected.”

The ‘Crip Up Climate Conversations’ guidance shares new stories that value the knowledge of disabled people about living within limits, problem solving and creating communities of care; and stories that recognise how climate action – if designed and implemented properly – may be our best opportunity to make everyday environments more accessible.

Each with a different focus, the four guidance notes include an introduction to disability and climate issues, provide background to the language used around disability and impairment, along with tips for initiating discussion with different groups.

They also outline an approach for how to create change – emphasising continuous learning, building relationships, drawing on a range of tactics, engaging in care to reduce the risk of burnout, recognising diversity amongst the disabled community, and sharing the load – one person cannot do everything.

The guidance notes are available in a range of formats that include large print, Plain English and Easy Read translations on the Sensing Climate website.