News / adaptation
Disabled artists deliver climate warnings to government
A creative protest produced by Disabled artists from Bristol has gone on display in London to warn national government “don’t blow it” when it comes to adaptation to the climate crisis.
Fifteen Disabled people and people with chronic health conditions produced the work which urges an inclusive approach to keeping people safe during extreme weather such as heatwaves, shown to disproportionately impact vulnerable people.
The exhibition was held at Amnesty International‘s London offices as part of a Friends of the Earth event on inclusive climate adaptation.
The environmental organisation is taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights with Disabled claimants, calling on the UK government to improve its adaptation plans to ensure the safety of all citizens.
Participants embroidered handkerchiefs with messages including “resilience has to be for all of us”, “use your power”, “no plan means no escape”, “don’t leave disabled and chronically ill people trapped in climate emergencies”, and “everyone experiences disability in their lifetime”.
Disabled people are up to four times more likely to be injured or killed in disasters, including extreme weather caused by the climate emergency.
The issue is largely caused by structural exclusion such as being left behind during evacuations or not included in preparedness activities, community planning and risk mapping.
“As the recent heatwaves have shown, the dangerous effects of climate change are already here for Disabled people in the UK,” said Shelly Radford, one of the participants.
“We’re left trapped alone in our homes, without the infrastructure needed to stay cool and healthy. It’s having a very serious impact on my health and that of my friends.
“It’s vital that the government works with Disabled people to design plans that meet our needs. Instead they are acting as if we’re not worth the time or care. I feel scared and unseen.”
The project, inspired by the Craftivist Collective, was organised by Disabled activist Emma Geen as part of a Personal to Planetary fellowship run by the University of Bristol’s Brigstow and Cabot Institutes.
Geen also led on the Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership project which created the world’s first community climate action plan designed by and for Disabled people.
Geen cites a Climate Change Committee 2026 report which states that by 2050 UK temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees while 92 per cent of existing homes will overheat during heatwaves, leading to a potential additional 10,000 heat-related deaths a year.
“Disabled people are one of the groups most likely to hurt by climate change but we’re being left out of conversations and our needs forgotten again and again,” said Geen.
“Most people experience disability in their lifetime, whether temporarily or as a natural part of ageing. So it’s vital for everyone that the government’s plans to keep people safe in the face of climate change are made alongside Disabled people to ensure they’re accessible and inclusive.”
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Main image: Friends of the Earth; all other images: Emma Geen
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