Climate Change and Disability
A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable Future
- 1st Edition - October 21, 2025
- Latest edition
- Editors: Marcalee Alexander, Alexandra E. Fogarty, Carl Froilan D. Leochico
- Language: English
Until recently, little attention has been paid to the concerns of people living with disabilities during extreme weather events and long-term climate changes. Climate Change and Di… Read more
Until recently, little attention has been paid to the concerns of people living with disabilities during extreme weather events and long-term climate changes. Climate Change and Disability: A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable, Inclusive Future for All delineates the general and specific risks of climate change for people living with disabilities and how we can use accessible approaches to mitigate, adapt, and control these risks, while maximizing opportunities for people living with disabilities. The book opens with an introduction on how we got here. The book continues with sections on actions and research, the physiologic impact of different disabilities, and discussions of specific continents and countries, where issues related to climate change exist. Education and advocacy are covered in detail, and the book wraps up with a section on action and research, detailing how to respond to extreme weather events including how various types of disabilities are impacted by different events.
Climate Change and Disability: A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable, Inclusive Future for All serves as a guide for a broad audience at the crossroads of environmental adaptation and human health. Physicians, as well as nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals will find it valuable for tailoring care for people living with disabilities due to climate change. Advocates and individuals living with disabilities will gain insight into advocacy for inclusive policies and personal preparedness. Scientists and clinicians interested in the health and societal impacts of climate change will find it useful in informing their research and practice. Policymakers and politicians can utilize this resource to develop equitable climate strategies, ensuring that environmental justice concerns are inclusive.
Climate Change and Disability: A Collaborative Approach to a Sustainable, Inclusive Future for All serves as a guide for a broad audience at the crossroads of environmental adaptation and human health. Physicians, as well as nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals will find it valuable for tailoring care for people living with disabilities due to climate change. Advocates and individuals living with disabilities will gain insight into advocacy for inclusive policies and personal preparedness. Scientists and clinicians interested in the health and societal impacts of climate change will find it useful in informing their research and practice. Policymakers and politicians can utilize this resource to develop equitable climate strategies, ensuring that environmental justice concerns are inclusive.
- Explains the broad range of disabilities people live with
- Discusses how people must prepare for specific disasters based upon their locale and nature of disability they live with
- Explains compounding concerns and how people who are otherwise societally disadvantaged are exponentially impacted when they also live with a disability
Rehabilitation Physicians and Nurses, Physcial Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Social Scientists, Policymakers, Researchers in Environmental Justice
I: Introduction
1. Introduction
2. Climate change 101: The basics of climate change
Ann-Christine Duhaime
3. Climate change and health—What is the connection?
James K. Sullivan and Ilyssa O. Gordon
II: Considerations regarding disability
4. The need for new paradigms to assess and respond to the impacts of climate change on disability
Marcalee Alexander and Jagger Alexander
5. Indigenous Peoples, climate change, and disability justice
Johnie Judd, Kyle X. Hill and Kimberley Greeson
6. Climate change, gender, and disability
Asha Hans
7. Children, youth, climate change, and disability
Yichen Fang and Preston Le
8. Environmental racism: From theory to praxis
Rasheda Vereen, Kimberley Greeson and Emily Affolter
9. How climate change affects sexual and gender diverse individuals with disabilities
Eva Rawlings Parker and Rishub K. Das
10. Religion, spirituality, and climate change
Diana Marin
III: What to expect related to climate change and specific disabilities
11. Climate change and the profound disabilities: Spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Marcalee Alexander, Melina Longoni and Ali Saad
12. Climate change and pediatric disabilities
Damian E. Markov, Maya Newman and Rasheda Vereen
13. Climate change, older adults, and people with chronic illness
Cindy Lane Moore and Zhen Cong
14. Autism and climate change
Matt Erb
15. Climate change and chronic pain
Kirk Bonner and Gregory Decker
16. Climate change, arthritis, and musculoskeletal health considerations
Thomas Bush, Chathurika L. Dandeniya, Vikram Chirgwin-Dasgupta and Tamiko R. Katsumoto
17. Climate change and traumatic and nontraumatic brain disorders in adults
Ali Saad and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
18. Climate change and hearing disabilities
Sue Sherratt
19. Climate change and visual disability
Yee LingWong and Barbara Erny
20. Climate change and psychiatric disability
Andrew T. Olagunju, Candice Madakadze, Ver-Se Denga and Navya Manoj
21. Climate change, sports medicine, and the adaptive athlete
Berdale Colorado, Charlotte DeRose, Marcos Henriquez and Melissa Tinney
IV: Education
22. Communicating about climate change and concerns related to disability
Eryn Campbell
23. Transformative learning for sustainability: Applying the head, heart, and hands model in climate change and health education
Cindy Lane Moore, Ariana Schanzer and Emma-Leigh Synnott
24. Educating climate change professionals about healthcare and disability with a focus on system dynamics and social systems design
Joseph Steensma and Megan Sobolewski
25. Communicating effectively about climate change—Political considerations
Beth Malow
V: Climate change from the lens of rehabilitation disciplines
26. Climate change and physiotherapy
Cindy Lane Moore, Adesola Christiana Odole, Ochuko Juliet Obaseki and Liala Cadelli
27. Climate change and occupational therapy
Carol Myers, Nishu Tyagi, Tee Stock and Audi Santos
28. Climate change and speech language pathology
Sarah Verdon
29. Climate change and rehabilitation psychology
Aisling Lennon
30. Climate change and rehabilitation nursing
Neetu Maitra, Richa Sharma, Vandana Sharma and Rebecca Phillip
31. Climate change and physical medicine & rehabilitation
Andrew S. Nowak and Adam S. Tenforde
VI: Advocacy
32. Disability rights and climate change: A view from the field
Mark L. Johnson
33. Planetary health and disability inclusion: A perspective
Davide Ziveri and Doris Zjalic
34. Disability climate justice in the courts: Strategies for harnessing disability-specific legal protections to catalyze disability-inclusive climate action
Stephanie Duke, Matthew S. Smith and Michael Ashley Stein
35. The uneven landscape of disability around the world: A view from the field
Amina Rahma Audu
VII: Action and research on the impacts of climate change
36. Climate change and disaster rehabilitation
Colleen O’Connell
37. Rain, floods, and landslides
Belgin Erhan, Seda Özcan and Ümit¸Sahin
38. Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons
Marcalee Alexander
39. Droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat
Kazuko Shem and Phalgun Nori
40. Extreme cold spells and related concerns
Ingebjørg Irgens
VIII: Pictures from the field
41. Climate change and persons with disabilities in the Mediterranean Region
Georgios Evmorfidis, Renatos Vasilakis, Paraskevi Sygkelaki, Carl Froilan D. Leochico and Christina-Anastasia Rapidi
42. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Africa
Amina Rahma Audu, Adesola Christiana Odole and Doris Oyindamola Afolabi
43. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Asia
Nishu Tyagi, Taslim Uddin, Raju Dhakal and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
44. Climate change and persons with disabilities in South and Central America
Damian E. Markov and Nina Carmela Tamayo
45. Climate change and persons with disabilities in the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States
Marvin Louie S. Ignacio, Marcos Henriquez and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
46. Pictures from the field: North America
Colleen O’Connell and Courtney Howard
47. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Australasia
Kimberly Humphrey and Emma-Leigh Synnott
IX: Long-term research and solutions regarding climate change and health
48. The built environment: Solutions for living in a world impacted by climate change
Adele Houghton
49. The impact of nutrition on disability and climate change
Nartana Mehta and Sara Kellahan
50. Modeling the health impacts of climate change on people with disabilities: A complex adaptive systems perspective
Byomkesh Talukder, Monishankar Sarkar, Krishna Prosad Mondal, Reza Salim and Sheikh Tawhidul Islam
51. Sustainability in rehabilitation systems of care and practices
Anita Lowe Taylor and Alexandra E.C. Fogarty
52. Day for tomorrow: Community can conquer climate change
Marcalee Alexander, Alexandra E.C. Fogarty and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
53. The future
Marcalee Alexander, Alexandra E.C. Fogarty, Carl Froilan D. Leochico
Climate Change Resources
1. Introduction
2. Climate change 101: The basics of climate change
Ann-Christine Duhaime
3. Climate change and health—What is the connection?
James K. Sullivan and Ilyssa O. Gordon
II: Considerations regarding disability
4. The need for new paradigms to assess and respond to the impacts of climate change on disability
Marcalee Alexander and Jagger Alexander
5. Indigenous Peoples, climate change, and disability justice
Johnie Judd, Kyle X. Hill and Kimberley Greeson
6. Climate change, gender, and disability
Asha Hans
7. Children, youth, climate change, and disability
Yichen Fang and Preston Le
8. Environmental racism: From theory to praxis
Rasheda Vereen, Kimberley Greeson and Emily Affolter
9. How climate change affects sexual and gender diverse individuals with disabilities
Eva Rawlings Parker and Rishub K. Das
10. Religion, spirituality, and climate change
Diana Marin
III: What to expect related to climate change and specific disabilities
11. Climate change and the profound disabilities: Spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Marcalee Alexander, Melina Longoni and Ali Saad
12. Climate change and pediatric disabilities
Damian E. Markov, Maya Newman and Rasheda Vereen
13. Climate change, older adults, and people with chronic illness
Cindy Lane Moore and Zhen Cong
14. Autism and climate change
Matt Erb
15. Climate change and chronic pain
Kirk Bonner and Gregory Decker
16. Climate change, arthritis, and musculoskeletal health considerations
Thomas Bush, Chathurika L. Dandeniya, Vikram Chirgwin-Dasgupta and Tamiko R. Katsumoto
17. Climate change and traumatic and nontraumatic brain disorders in adults
Ali Saad and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
18. Climate change and hearing disabilities
Sue Sherratt
19. Climate change and visual disability
Yee LingWong and Barbara Erny
20. Climate change and psychiatric disability
Andrew T. Olagunju, Candice Madakadze, Ver-Se Denga and Navya Manoj
21. Climate change, sports medicine, and the adaptive athlete
Berdale Colorado, Charlotte DeRose, Marcos Henriquez and Melissa Tinney
IV: Education
22. Communicating about climate change and concerns related to disability
Eryn Campbell
23. Transformative learning for sustainability: Applying the head, heart, and hands model in climate change and health education
Cindy Lane Moore, Ariana Schanzer and Emma-Leigh Synnott
24. Educating climate change professionals about healthcare and disability with a focus on system dynamics and social systems design
Joseph Steensma and Megan Sobolewski
25. Communicating effectively about climate change—Political considerations
Beth Malow
V: Climate change from the lens of rehabilitation disciplines
26. Climate change and physiotherapy
Cindy Lane Moore, Adesola Christiana Odole, Ochuko Juliet Obaseki and Liala Cadelli
27. Climate change and occupational therapy
Carol Myers, Nishu Tyagi, Tee Stock and Audi Santos
28. Climate change and speech language pathology
Sarah Verdon
29. Climate change and rehabilitation psychology
Aisling Lennon
30. Climate change and rehabilitation nursing
Neetu Maitra, Richa Sharma, Vandana Sharma and Rebecca Phillip
31. Climate change and physical medicine & rehabilitation
Andrew S. Nowak and Adam S. Tenforde
VI: Advocacy
32. Disability rights and climate change: A view from the field
Mark L. Johnson
33. Planetary health and disability inclusion: A perspective
Davide Ziveri and Doris Zjalic
34. Disability climate justice in the courts: Strategies for harnessing disability-specific legal protections to catalyze disability-inclusive climate action
Stephanie Duke, Matthew S. Smith and Michael Ashley Stein
35. The uneven landscape of disability around the world: A view from the field
Amina Rahma Audu
VII: Action and research on the impacts of climate change
36. Climate change and disaster rehabilitation
Colleen O’Connell
37. Rain, floods, and landslides
Belgin Erhan, Seda Özcan and Ümit¸Sahin
38. Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons
Marcalee Alexander
39. Droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat
Kazuko Shem and Phalgun Nori
40. Extreme cold spells and related concerns
Ingebjørg Irgens
VIII: Pictures from the field
41. Climate change and persons with disabilities in the Mediterranean Region
Georgios Evmorfidis, Renatos Vasilakis, Paraskevi Sygkelaki, Carl Froilan D. Leochico and Christina-Anastasia Rapidi
42. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Africa
Amina Rahma Audu, Adesola Christiana Odole and Doris Oyindamola Afolabi
43. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Asia
Nishu Tyagi, Taslim Uddin, Raju Dhakal and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
44. Climate change and persons with disabilities in South and Central America
Damian E. Markov and Nina Carmela Tamayo
45. Climate change and persons with disabilities in the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States
Marvin Louie S. Ignacio, Marcos Henriquez and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
46. Pictures from the field: North America
Colleen O’Connell and Courtney Howard
47. Climate change and persons with disabilities in Australasia
Kimberly Humphrey and Emma-Leigh Synnott
IX: Long-term research and solutions regarding climate change and health
48. The built environment: Solutions for living in a world impacted by climate change
Adele Houghton
49. The impact of nutrition on disability and climate change
Nartana Mehta and Sara Kellahan
50. Modeling the health impacts of climate change on people with disabilities: A complex adaptive systems perspective
Byomkesh Talukder, Monishankar Sarkar, Krishna Prosad Mondal, Reza Salim and Sheikh Tawhidul Islam
51. Sustainability in rehabilitation systems of care and practices
Anita Lowe Taylor and Alexandra E.C. Fogarty
52. Day for tomorrow: Community can conquer climate change
Marcalee Alexander, Alexandra E.C. Fogarty and Carl Froilan D. Leochico
53. The future
Marcalee Alexander, Alexandra E.C. Fogarty, Carl Froilan D. Leochico
Climate Change Resources
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: October 21, 2025
- Language: English
MA
Marcalee Alexander
Marcalee Alexander, MD is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, she is a Past-President of the American SCI Association. In 2019, to motivate rehabilitation professionals and persons with disabilities to take action regarding climate change, she began a walk from Canada to Key West to educate people about disasters, disability and climate change and the need for an accessible, health-promoting environment. In 2020, she paused the walk due to Covid19. Concomitantly, she founded the 501C3 Sustain Our Abilities, whose mission is to educate people about climate change, disability and health. Dr. Alexander also is founding Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Climate Change and Health and is organizing Climate and Health 2023, a hybrid international meeting. Her walk, now named the Graham-Green Route Aiding Health Adaptation will resume 2/24/24 and she has created a Healthy Living Space petition as part of this journey.
Affiliations and expertise
President, Climate Health Society; Medical Director Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine Boynton Beach, FloridaAF
Alexandra E. Fogarty
Dr. Alexandra Fogarty is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician with specialty training in Sports Medicine and Pain Management. After graduating from Bowdoin College in Maine, she attended Saba University School of Medicine in the Netherlands and earned her MD degree. She completed Internship, Residency and fellowship in PM&R and Sports Medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis, where she served as Academic Chief Resident. She then completed a Pain Medicine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Fogarty is now an Assistant Professor in the department of PM&R at the University of Utah.She has also served in several prominent leadership roles, including with the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS), where she serves as a member of the board of directors and chair of the Sustainability Task Force, whose goal is to foster awareness of the relationship between human health and the environment.
Affiliations and expertise
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USACL
Carl Froilan D. Leochico
Carl Froilan D. Leochico, MD, FPARM is a physiatrist from the Philippines who completed his fellowships in Brain Medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Brain Rehabilitation at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in Ontario, Canada. He was recently appointed as Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine and as a physiatrist as Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. His research interests include telerehabilitation and its manifold applications and benefits, including environmental stewardship. He is among the telerehabilitation pioneers in the Philippines and led the development of their national telerehabilitation guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the Secretary of the Telerehabilitation Special Interest Group of the World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation, a member of the Toronto Telerehabilitation Working Group, and has been a part of the Sustain Our Abilities focusing on public engagement regarding climate change, health and disparities.
Affiliations and expertise
Clinical Fellow, Brain Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Canada; Physiatrist, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila, and St. Luke’s Medical Center, PhilippinesRead Climate Change and Disability on ScienceDirect