Submissions

To: Ministry for the Environment
Date: August 2024

Purpose

This submission’s core purpose is to emphasize the disproportionate impact of climate change on disabled people and to advocate for a climate transition that is inclusive, equitable, and just. DPA seeks to ensure that the plan incorporates a disability lens, prioritizes the safety and rights of disabled individuals, and encourages deeper emissions cuts, particularly from high-emitting industries.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA highlights that disabled people are already disproportionately bearing the brunt of climate change impacts both in New Zealand and globally. Recent reports identify disabled people as a 'high priority population group' more susceptible to negative climate impacts and higher mortality rates in climate emergencies, due to being often treated as a lower priority for evacuation in disasters and systemically excluded from support. Slow-onset climate change exacerbates existing inequities for disabled people, affecting health, access to services, food, water, and accessible infrastructure. DPA supports disability-inclusive climate adaptation where governments and scientists collaborate with disabled people. DPA also supports the community-driven approach of the South Dunedin Future Project, where it advocates for a disability lens to be included in decision-making.
 
However, DPA expresses deep disappointment that the new Government has abandoned the Equitable Transitions Strategy, which previously ensured broad consultation on climate change planning and emissions budgets. DPA is concerned that current government policy decisions, such as fast-tracking major projects, overturning the ban on gas/oil exploration, cutting public transport subsidies, and delaying agriculture's entry into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), are seriously jeopardizing New Zealand’s ability to meet its Paris Agreement targets. DPA opposes the idea of enabling speed limits of up to 120km/h on certain roads, citing evidence that higher speeds increase crash likelihood and the risk of fatal injuries.
 
Key Recommendation:
DPA recommends that government recognise disabled people as a key population group for whom climate change impacts must be recognised and planned for, and that a disability perspective be embedded within all central and local government climate change planning, led and driven by disabled people and our Disabled People’s Organisations [DPOs].
 
Supporting Statement 1:
A recent Environment Health Intelligence New Zealand report identified disabled people as a ‘high priority population group’ due to their susceptibility to negative impacts of climate-related hazards.
 
Supporting Statement 2:
Disabled people have historically been treated as a lower priority in climate emergencies or other disasters and systemically excluded from receiving emergency healthcare and humanitarian support as a result.