Human Rights Watch: a report on impact of extreme heat on people with disabilities in Andalusia, Spain

By Naomi Gupta

A recently published Human Rights Watch report entitled “Spain: Inadequate Response to Heatwaves”, looks into the impact of extreme heat on people with disabilities in Andalusia, Spain, in particular on their physical and mental health. Poverty, as it relates to poor insulation and a lack of green space, are identified as contributing factors to heat-related health risks for vulnerable communities. What’s more, power cuts in Andalusia’s poorer neighbourhoods further affect people with disabilities by preventing them to use elevators, charge disability-related devices, or stay cool with electric fans or air-conditioning. Human Rights Watch found that the 2022 Andalusian Heatwave Action Plan (Plan Andaluz para la Prevención de los Efectos de las Temperaturas Excesivas sobre la Salud) does not explicitly recognize people with disabilities as a group more susceptible to the negative effects of extreme heat.

Click here to access the report.