Like many countries, Kyrgyzstan is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change. From 1885 to 2023, the country’s average temperature has been steadily rising, with an alarming acceleration in recent decades—increasing from 0.01 °C to 0.07 °C per year. This rapid warming has triggered severe disruptions, including melting of glaciers, changing precipitation patterns, and a surge in extreme weather events including droughts, mudflows and heatwaves. These hazards not only threaten the environment but also jeopardize livelihoods and public health. However, the impacts of climate change are not felt equally across society. Among the most vulnerable are people with disabilities, who face unique challenges in adapting to the changing environment.
The challenges faced by people with disabilities are compounded by factors including inaccessible infrastructure, lack of tailored communication systems, and social stigma. In Kyrgyzstan, significant portion of people with disabilities live in rural areas, where these issues are even further compounded. Limited access to healthcare services, ineffective disaster response systems, and scarce climate adaptation resources create a disproportional burden on these individuals. These systemic challenges highlight the urgent need for disability-inclusive climate action—an aspect often overlooked in both global and local climate policies.
The international community has long emphasized the importance of inclusive climate action. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscores the principle of "leaving no one behind," calling for the inclusion of marginalized groups in climate policies and strategies. This aligns directly with SDG 3 on resilient health systems, with SDG 10 on all individuals’ inclusion in social, economic and political spheres, and with SDG 13 on adaptive capacity to climate change. Yet, despite global frameworks like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which explicitly calls for disability-inclusive policies and accessible disaster risk reduction strategies, people with disabilities remain largely excluded from climate research, decision-making and adaptation efforts.
In Kyrgyzstan, the intersection of disability rights and climate action is an emerging area of focus, but substantial work is still needed. The country ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2019, signalling a commitment to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. Building on this foundation, the government introduced the "Accessible Country" program for 2023–2030, which aims to enhance accessibility across key sectors, including in education, healthcare and social services. Despite these promising developments, disability-specific challenges related to climate change remain largely unaddressed in national climate policies. Recognizing this critical gap, both the government and civil society have begun to prioritize inclusive climate action, with UN playing a key role in advocating for more inclusive climate policies in the Kyrgyz Republic.
These efforts include launching projects to promote disability-inclusive climate adaptation strategies. One example is the Joint Programme “Advancing the rights of people with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan,” launched in 2024 to improve accessibility in climate resilience efforts with funding from the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and implemented by UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF.
Through the consultations with disability organizations, UNDP supported training programs that emphasized the importance of universal design principles and accessible infrastructure. UNDP also worked to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities in the country's climate resiliency planning processes. These consultations are instrumental in aligning national climate strategies with international standards, ensuring that disability considerations are integrated into climate action.
While these efforts represent significant progress, sustained efforts are needed to fully integrate disability-inclusive principles into Kyrgyzstan’s climate policies and practices. A notable gap remains in the emergency preparedness plans, which often fail to account for the specific needs of people with disabilities. Inaccessible disaster response systems, inadequate early warning systems, and a lack of dedicated resources and trained personnel during crises significantly heighten the risks faced by this vulnerable group.
By strengthening disaster preparedness in Kyrgyzstan and integrating accessibility principles into emergency response and healthcare systems, UNDP is helping to ensure that no one is left behind in times of crisis. Yet, data gap remains a critical challenge, especially disaggregated data on the impact of climate change on people with disabilities. Without accurate and comprehensive data, it becomes exceedingly difficult to design targeted interventions that address the unique challenges of this population. Effective climate adaptation measures rely on evidenced-based understanding of the risks and challenges faced by people with disabilities, particularly in rural areas where social, economic and logistical barriers are even more pronounced. More research is needed to bridge this knowledge gap and provide actionable insights into how climate change affects people with disabilities in diverse settings.
The intersection of climate change and disability highlights a critical yet often overlooked issue that must be addressed if the global climate goals are to be met. The "Leaving No One Behind" principle of the 2030 Agenda goes beyond promoting equality—it emphasizes the importance of fully including the most vulnerable and the least able to adapt in climate planning and resilience-building efforts. For Kyrgyzstan, this means taking deliberate steps to mainstream disability considerations into climate policies, to prioritize collection of disaggregated data on disability, and to enhance the capacity of emergency responders to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities during crisis.
In conclusion, addressing the vulnerability of people with disabilities to climate change is not only a matter of upholding human rights, but is also a fundamental component of building a resilient society. Inclusive and equitable society, centered on the needs of the most vulnerable, is essential for creating a future where everyone—regardless of ability—can adapt, thrive and contribute to a more just, resilient and sustainable world.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations, Geneva
