The Political Determinants of Disaster Risk: Assessing the Unfolding Aftermath of Hurricane Maria for People with Disabilities in Puerto Rico

An environmental justice (EJ) framework identifies that the most vulnerable in society are also the most likely to be at risk to extreme weather events attributable to climate change. Among the populations frequently identified as disproportionately exposed to disaster risk are persons living with disabilities. In this article, we highlight three models for understanding the impact of extreme weather events on people with disabilities: A physical vulnerability model, a sociopolitical model, and an EJ model. Drawing from sociopolitical and EJ frameworks, we explore the increased disaster risk experienced by people with disabilities in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria. Our analysis serves to demonstrate the relevance of social and environmental protection as foundational elements for disaster risk mitigation and thus the political determinants of disaster risk.