Understanding the climate vulnerability and resilience of people with disabilities: insights from a case study in Kerala, India
基于72次访谈，研究印度喀拉拉邦残障人士在气候变化中的经历，揭示社会、经济和制度障碍如何加剧其脆弱性，同时强调其适应策略和社区韧性。
This article examines how people with disabilities in the state of Kerala, India experience and respond to the impacts of climate change, drawing on 72 semi-structured interviews with disabled individuals, caregivers, and key stakeholders. Although Kerala has comparatively strong social development indicators and has taken steps toward disability-inclusive climate and disaster planning, our findings reveal persistent social, economic, and institutional barriers that heighten climate vulnerability for people with disabilities. Participants described how inaccessible early-warning systems, evacuation procedures, emergency shelters, and relocation programs intensify exposure to climate hazards and limit their ability to respond effectively. Longer-term structural factors, including poverty, inadequate housing, limited access to assistive devices and medical care, and discriminatory attitudes, further constrain their adaptive capacity. Using a social-relational model of disability, the article shows how ableism intersects with other inequalities to shape exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in the face of climate risks. At the same time, the study highlights the agency and expertise of disabled individuals, who engage in creative adaptation strategies, mutual aid, and other forms of community support, strengthening resilience within and beyond the disability community. The article argues for disability-inclusive and universally designed solutions across multiple sectors relevant to climate resilience and underscores the importance of centering disabled people’s knowledge in adaptation planning.