Deaf Awareness Month is a time to celebrate the diversity and culture of deaf people and raise awareness of the challenges they face, including the disproportionate impact of climate change.
Climate change is a silent giant that has made it more difficult to achieve disability inclusion – especially for deaf people, who are more vulnerable to its effects.
The Deaf are more likely to be affected by extreme weather events such as floods and droughts that result from climate change.
These events lead to increased isolation, for example, if a deaf person’s home is damaged by a natural disaster, they may have to relocate to a new community where they do not know anyone. This can make it difficult for them to find employment, make friends, and access essential services.
Also, they lead to increased health risks for deaf people. For example, heat waves can trigger respiratory problems, and flooding can lead to waterborne diseases.
Further, communication for deaf people is easily disrupted in a number of ways due to these weather events. For example, flooding can damage communication centers and infrastructure, making it difficult for deaf people to stay connected with their families and friends.
Extreme weather events can also make it difficult for deaf people to access sign language interpreters or other assistive technology.
To mitigate the aforementioned effects on deaf persons it is so important to talk about climate change prioritizing accessibility, inclusivity, and active involvement of the deaf persons in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts by;
Providing information about climate change in sign language so that deaf people can fully understand the risks and challenges they face.
Ensure emergency warnings are accessible to deaf people, such as through text messaging, flashing lights, or loud sirens.
Investing in assistive technologies that can help deaf people communicate and access services, such as sign language interpreters, CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) services, and apps like assistALL.
Supporting research into the specific needs of deaf persons in the context of climate change so that we can better understand how to help them.