One of the bright spots in the otherwise dispiriting realities brought on by COVID-19 is the drop in worldwide air pollution, which is good news for the fight against climate change. However, this pollution drop is only temporary while different coronavirus hotspots shut down to decrease the spread of the virus. Scientists are scrambling to determine what COVID-19 could mean for the earth’s future.

As governments tackle the coronavirus crisis, climate change commitments are falling by the wayside.

Scientists have long been warning of climate change and its corresponding challenges for the earth and its inhabitants. But the conversation has rarely focused on what it will mean for people with disabilities, until now.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) changed that with a resolution calling governments to adopt a disability-inclusive approach for climate change solutions and responses.

Individuals with disabilities often are overlooked in the conversation about climate change, extreme disasters, and emergency solutions. Since disabilities can differ, individuals with disabilities can be hard to serve, but as climate change becomes an increasing problem, societies and government bodies need to consider these individuals as well.