Events - Seminars, Webinars, Panel Discussions, Guest Lectures, et al.

Online Webinars and Panel Discussions

The Sangyan, in collaboration with the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People [NCPEDP], organized a Webinar on ''Climate Justice and Disability: Why We Need to Build Forward Better?". The webinar delved and explored the themes surrounding - Climate Change as a Threat Multiplier for Persons with Disabilities, Intersectionality of Climate-induced Disasters and Disability, DiDRR in Action: Experiences from Ground [Case Studies and Best Practices], Lived Experience with Climate Change [IlH and Climate Anxiety], Role of Universal Accessibility in Disability-inclusive Climate Justice, Disproportionate Impact of Climate Change on Persons with Disabilities, and Disability-Led Development and Climate Justice.

Presented on the theme of "Inclusive Heatwave Action: Integrating Disability Rights into Heatwave Preparedness and Response", wherein I discussed how persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by climate change-induced heatwaves and how disability rights can be integrated into heatwave preparedness and response to ensure anticipatory action is all-inclusive, effective, equitable, and universally accessible, thus, leaving no one behind. [11th of March 2025]

Presentation covered the Boiling Frog Syndrome to explain the Climate Change Crisis, Case Studies highlighting the ‘Urgency of Universally Accessible Early Warning and Action Systems’; Intersectional diversity within the disability identity, and Memes and infographics to illustrate the multi-order disappropriate impact of climate change (‘threat multiplier’) on persons with disabilities (among other vulnerable communities and intersectional identities), across multi-dimensions of life, including their cost of living and quality of life, physical health and mental well-being, accessibility and climate anxiety, livelihood and decent employment, losses and damages, movement, migration and displacement, disability-adjusted life years, violence and exploitation, housing and security, among other aspects, because of their heightened vulnerability due to greater exposure, higher sensitivity and lower ability. It included ‘Ulgulan Talks — Postcards’ to reflect the lived experiences of persons with various disabilities from diverse climatic zones concerning the impact of climate change-induced disasters and extreme weather events on them.

Adv. Abhishek Kumar from Ranchi (Jharkhand), who is the Founder of The Sangyan, shared about the multi-order disappropriate impact of climate change ('threat multiplier') on persons with disabilities across dimensions of life, concerning their physical and mental health, livelihood and employment, losses and damages, migration and displacement, disability-adjusted life years, violence and exploitation, housing and security, among other aspects, because of their heightened vulnerability owing to greater exposure, higher sensitivity and lower ability. He also shared case studies highlighting the necessity of universally accessible early warning systems among other facets of other intersectional vulnerabilities.

Ar. Kavya Poornima Balajepalli, Founder and Curator of Poornamidam and District Level Committee Member on Disability, Visakhapatnam, reflected upon her lived experiences of living in a coastal city and with a rare neurological condition - Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) induced disability (blindness) which is invisible and dynamic in nature. She also shared about diversity within the disability spectrum, the intersectionality of accessibility and climate/eco-anxiety, and the need for universal accessibility, reasonable accommodation and vernacular architecture to achieve inclusive climate action and disaster risk reduction.

Presented on how persons with disabilities in general and women with disabilities in specific, despite contributing the least and being most vulnerable to climate change and disasters, are at the forefront of climate change's disproportionate impacts and are subject to eco-ableist climate action response that often overlooks their gender and disability-specific accessibility and reasonable accommodation needs among others, for instance, the existing conundrum between Green Mensuration vis à vis Period Poverty.

It highlighted and underlined the troika of intersectionalities, i.e. climate change, women, and disabilities and how climate change has a domino effect that undermines all sustainable development goals, including SDG 5 (Gender equality), 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and 13 (Climate Action), and the need for ‘Build Forward Better’ (as the restoring the status quo won't serve the purpose as the past was neither climate resilient nor universally accessible) and Women and Disability-led and inclusive Climate Action.

Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP, and Adv. Abhishek Kumar, Founder and Curator of The Sangyan and NCPEDP-Javed Abidi Fellow on Disability, led an insightful discussion on the severe and disproportionate effects of extreme heat events on persons with disabilities. The webinar highlighted the unique challenges, from mobility issues to energy insecurities and healthcare disruptions, emphasizing the urgent need for inclusive climate policies and adaptive strategies. This conversation marks the beginning of a critical dialogue aimed at building a more resilient future for all.

The Sangyan, in collaboration with the Social Workers in Disaster Risk Reduction (SWDRR), organized a Webinar on “Without Disability Justice, There Is No Climate Justice". The webinar delved into and explored the themes surrounding the disproportionate impact of climate change on persons with disabilities, the intersectionality of climate-induced disasters and disability, the Accessible Early Warning System, lived experience with climate change, the role of Universal Accessibility in Disability-inclusive Climate Action, and Disability-inclusive Climate Justice, among other aspects surrounding the intersectionality of climate change and disability.

Adv. Abhishek Kumar spoke on 'Green Jobs: Climate Change and Youth with Disabilities' at the Webinar on "Empowering Tomorrow" - an event organised by the Rotary Bangalore Abilities. The webinar took place to commemorate International Youth Day and reflect upon this year’s theme, “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable Future.”

Therein, he talked about the planetary crisis of climate change, the disproportionate impact of climate change on persons with disabilities, green skills for youth with disabilities, key findings of the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023, the intersectionality of green jobs and eco-ableism, and emphasised on the importance of 'Building Forward Better.'