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Project title
Disability and Climate Resilience Research Project
Project leader
Dr Maria Kett, Principal Investigator
Centre staff working on this project
Ellie Cole
Funders
Project duration
January 2017-December 2017
Main objectives
The overall purpose of this one year research project is to increase understanding of the links between disability and climate resilience and to support delivery of policy and programme work that builds the resilience of people with disabilities to climate shocks and stresses. It will do this by addressing a range of questions around the relationship between disability and an individual’s vulnerability/resilience to climatic shocks and stresses; and the ways in which interventions can build the resilience of people with disabilities to climatic shocks and stresses.
The research will focus primarily on two countries: Kenya and Bangladesh. These countries face a number of development challenges, including multiple and diverse environmental hazards, associated with the impacts of climate change; both have already committed to increasing climate-related resilience; and both have track records on disability inclusion. Given the different climate challenges facing each country, they offer useful contextual comparisons from which to develop a range of approaches in this area.
| Team members | Organisation |
| John Twigg | ODI |
| Fred Smith | Sightsavers |
| Dr Saleemul Huq | International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCAD) |
| Feisal Rahman | ICCAD |
| Winnie Khaemba | The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) |
| Mathieu Simard | Independent |
| Anderson Gitonga | United Disabled Person of Kenya (UDPK) |
| Khandaker Jahurul Alam and Iftekhar Ahmed | Centre for Services and Information on disability |
Publications
Kett, M., Cole, E. (2018). Research Report: Disability and Climate Resilience Research Project [pdf]. Leonard Cheshire Research Centre.
Smith, Simard, Twigg, Cole and Kett (April 2017). Disability and Climate Resilience: A literature review. Leonard Cheshire Disability and Inclusive Development Centre: London
Kett, M., Cole, E. (2018) Disability: A neglected issue within climate change? Dhaka Tribune, 11 January. [online]
Project updates
Inception meetings were held in Bangladesh, Kenya and London in January/February
An online survey was developed for organisations implementing programmes focused on improving climate resilience. The survey gained 100 responses.
Focus groups discussions were held in Kenya and Bangladesh to understand persons with disabilities’ resilience to the impacts of climate change. Key informant interviews were also held with policymakers, non-governmental organisations and community leaders on attitudes towards disability inclusion, and gaps and successes in implementing disability-inclusive programmes.
Dr Kett and colleagues from Bangladesh presented findings from the project at the 4thGobeshona conference, held in Dhaka 8-11 January, 2018. 4th Gobeshona Conference presentation [pdf]