When we think of climate change, we often picture rising seas, stronger storms, and shifting weather patterns. But what about the communities who face unique communication barriers during climate crises? Recently, the European Geosciences Union’s GeoLog blog published an interview with Dr. Lorne Farovitch, a deaf researcher exploring how climate impacts intersect with accessibility. His insights highlight urgent challenges — and opportunities for advocacy — that directly connect with our mission.

Key Takeaways from the Interview

  • Who is Dr. Farovitch?
    Dr. Lorne Farovitch is a deaf scholar whose work focuses on disaster risk, resilience, and the lived experiences of deaf communities. His research bridges climate science with disability justice.
  • The Problem: Inaccessible Communication
    When hurricanes, wildfires, or floods strike, deaf communities are often left behind by emergency alerts that rely on sound, or by government briefings without interpreters or captions.
  • Intersectional Impacts
    deaf and deafdisabled people often face compounded risks: language deprivation, systemic inequities, and lack of representation in planning spaces make adaptation more difficult.
  • The Solution: Community-Based Research & Advocacy
    Farovitch emphasizes the importance of involving deaf communities directly in research and policy decisions. It’s not enough to “translate” information — solutions must be designed with and by deaf people.

Why This Matters for Our Community

At Global Deaf Research Institute (GDRI), we know that access to information is a human right. Climate change is not a distant problem; it’s here. If emergency alerts, public health advisories, or community meetings don’t include deaf and hard of hearing individuals, lives are at risk.

This article reinforces what we’ve long believed: inclusion in disaster planning is essential. It’s not optional.

Our Reflection & Next Steps

  • How can we ensure local emergency management systems include ASL interpreters and captioning in all climate-related communications?

  • What role can nonprofits, universities, and governments play in funding deaf-led research?

  • How can we amplify stories like Dr. Farovitch’s to strengthen advocacy nationwide?

These are questions we’re committed to tackling — and we invite you to join us.

Read the Full Interview

We’ve only scratched the surface. to dive deeper into Dr. Farovitch’s research and perspective, we encourage you to the read the full article on the GeoLog blog:
GeoTalk: Meet Dr. Lorne Farovitch, researcher of climate impacts on deaf communities

Credits

This summary is based on the original article published by the European Geosciences Union (EGU) GeoLog blog under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0). Content has been paraphrased and condensed for our audience. Full credit to Dr. Lorne Farovitch and the EGU team for the original work.