CBM Global prioritises Climate Justice in new Advocacy Framework

News | October 28, 2021

CBM Global Federation has recently approved a new framework for its global and national advocacy work. Developed over a six-month period with internal stakeholders and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPD) partners, the Advocacy has four priorities for the federation and Climate Justice is one of the four priorities.

In the lead-up to COP26, we reflect a little about why we are focusing on this pressing issue as an Advocacy priority and share a little about what CBM Global Federation members will be doing at COP26.

Mary Keogh, Advocacy Director of CBM Global, says:

“Climate justice has become an advocacy priority for us for very simple reasons. In the countries we work in, persons with disabilities and their families are hardest hit by the impact of climate change. Yet, much of the discussions on climate that take place in global and national conferences and forums on climate are not accessible to or inclusive of the majority of persons with disabilities or their representative organisations living in the global south. This has to change. Those most impacted by climate change should be at the decision-making tables, this is what Climate Justice is about for us.”

CBM Global will be at COP26 alongside our CBM UK colleagues and OPD partners, the International Disability Alliance, and European Disability Forum.

Kirsty Smith, CEO of CBM UK, says:

“The greatest threat and burden of climate change will fall on the world’s poorest people – who have done the least to cause it. An estimated 20% of the people most affected by climate change are people with disabilities who are routinely excluded from climate action and decision-making. We’ll be joining Disability Movement & civil society partners at #COP26 to seek to influence the negotiations so that disability inclusion is not overlooked, and to offer a practical suggestion for how climate adaptation and resilience measures can be more inclusive and incorporate proper consideration of mental wellbeing.” 

Find out more about what CBM Global federation and what partners are doing at COP26.

Details on “An inclusive planet: inclusion, mental health and climate change” (CBM Global/CBM UK side event at COP26): 

5 November 2021, 15:30 – 17:30

More information: https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/ 

Details on “Disability-Inclusive Climate Action: Challenges, Opportunities & Pathways” (McGill and IDA side event at COP26):  

5 November 2021, 11:30—12:45, Strangford Lough

More information: https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/reports/events_list.html?session_id=COP26

Learn more about CBM Global and our partners’ work on climate:
Climate Change: This Century’s Defining Issue

Disability Inclusive Climate Justice Video

Climate change, mental health and wellbeing 

Persons with disabilities and climate action: How can we be more inclusive?

Disability and Climate Action 

Main Image: Community members, students, and teachers attend a School Drill at a government school in Bangladesh. Copyright: Fahad Kaizer/CBM

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