Climate Change Profile: Yemen
Publisher: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Date: 2018
Topics: Climate Change, Conflict Causes, Conflict Prevention, Disasters, Gender, Governance, Land, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
Countries: Yemen
Yemen faces serious risks from climate change that further threaten the already fragile state of the country1. As climate change and rapid population growth put more and more pressure on critical resources, especially water, the Yemen shows what may happen in the region as a whole2. Yemen is a predominantly arid country on the Arabian Peninsula with a history of food aid dependence. It experiences extreme water scarcity due to overexploitation of groundwater that leads to salt water intrusion in coastal areas. Climate change is expected to increase temperatures, variability of rainfall and heavy precipitation events. The increase in heavy rains in combination with rising temperatures, especially in the north, will probably lead to shortened growing seasons. Shorter growing seasons threaten food security, and competition for dwindling natural resources could further fuel conflict. On-going conflict, a lack of adequate natural resources management, weak governance as well as other factors seriously hinder Yemen’s ability to address the current and future impact of climate change.