Climate vulnerability and environmental justice among persons with disabilities in Northwest Ghana

Climate change disproportionately impacts socially marginalised populations; however, the experiences of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are underrepresented in climate adaptation research, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study draws on environmental justice, climate vulnerability, and the social model of disability to examine perceived climate-related vulnerabilities, adaptation experiences, and support systems among PWDs in Northwest Ghana. A convergent mixed-methods approach was used, integrating questionnaire surveys with 105 PWDs and key informant interviews with stakeholders in disability welfare, local development planning, and disaster risk management. Results indicate that participants faced diverse climate-related challenges, including food- and water-borne illnesses, hunger, poor nutrition, pest-related diseases, displacement, heat-related discomfort, and disruptions to livelihoods and essential services. Variations were identified across disability categories in perceptions of climate change, self-reported climate knowledge, and adaptation responses, indicating that vulnerability is not uniform within the disabled population. While many participants adopted adaptation strategies such as livelihood and crop diversification and relied on family, community, and institutional support networks, adaptive capacity was limited by poverty, unemployment, restricted livelihood opportunities, and insufficient institutional support. Participants also reported widespread dissatisfaction with current government efforts to promote disability-inclusive climate adaptation. This study advances climate justice scholarship by demonstrating that vulnerability among PWDs is shaped by both exposure to environmental hazards and by socio-economic marginalisation, institutional exclusion, and unequal access to adaptive resources. The findings underscore the necessity for disability-inclusive climate policies that enhance recognition, participation, accessible climate information, and livelihood support systems to achieve equitable adaptation outcomes.