Looking at the data differently to highlight those left in the cold

The climate crisis has put sustainable energy at the top of agendas all over the world, but often, the co-existing needs of people with disabilities are left out of the conversation. Through data collection and analysis, Professor Lucie Middlemiss and Dr Diana Ivanova examine the inclusivity of energy and environmental policies to ensure they benefit everyone.

In the EU, almost one in four people have a disability. So when we think about that number of people and the fact we’re not really contemplating what their needs are when we design policy for environmental change, that’s a big problem.

—Professor Lucie Middlemiss

Impact

• Knowledge discovery: creates new information and understanding about disability and energy use
• Policy impact: provides evidence for policy decisions to support people with disability in the transition to net zero

Key Information

• Major funders: European Commission
• Partners and collaborators: Leeds City Council
• Disciplines: sustainability, energy, data science
• Investigators: Professor Lucie Middlemiss, Dr Diana Ivanova

Keywords: social sciences, sustainability, sustainable energy, net zero transition, poverty, justice, energy use, inequality, climate change