Disability and climate change hot-spots in Senegal: considering risks and opportunities

Understanding the vulnerabilities of people with disabilities in the context of climate change is of vital importance for developing people-centered climate change mitigation efforts. People with disabilities face unique risks in response to both rapid- and slow-onset climate-related events because they may require different types of early warning information to accommodate their needs when responding to climate-related hazards. However, the needs of disabled populations are often not considered alongside climate hazards and mitigation planning. In this project, we take a significant step towards documenting and mapping the risks that people with disabilities face in the context of climate change. We use an innovative dataset—the Senegal General Census of Population and Housing, Agriculture, and Livestock (RGPH) conducted in 2013, which measures disability using the recommended questionnaire of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics. We combine this data with satellite and gridded datasets that provide key climate measures related to temperature, rainfall, and other climate disasters, as well as land cover, population density, and infrastructure. This approach allows us to identify areas where climate hazard hotspots intersect with disabled populations, taking into account exposure and additional vulnerability factors. The project will produce disability-climate risk indicators for each type of functional limitation. These indicators will highlight the risks that disabled people face in the context of climate change and provide the necessary evidence to support mitigation and planning efforts.