Climate change exacerbates the suffering of millions of Yemenis

Shaaban Bilal (Cairo)

Millions of Yemenis face the risk of internal displacement, food insecurity, and loss of life due to the repercussions of climate change, including severe drought and heat waves, floods, hurricanes, and heavy rains that have harmed thousands of people over the past months, amid continuous warnings of not taking special protection measures in fragile communities.
About 180,000 Yemenis were affected as a result of the sudden climate changes that swept through a number of Yemeni governorates, including severe weather conditions, including heavy rains, floods, and storms, affecting more than 24,000 families in hard-to-reach areas or areas housing displaced people, in addition to the drought crisis affecting… Food production and availability of drinking water and sanitation services to more than 18 million Yemenis, according to the World Bank.
Yemeni environment and climate expert, Dr. Nabila Al-Qadiri, said in a statement to Al-Ittihad that climate change has major impacts on Yemeni society, especially the eastern coasts such as Al-Mahra, and pointed to the displacement of residents from areas affected by floods, hurricanes, and severe heat waves to safer places, stressing However, the repercussions of climate change negatively affect stability and put pressure on resources in natural areas.
According to experts, many Yemeni regions are suffering from the repercussions of climate change, from rising temperatures, prolonged drought, fluctuating rainfall, changing dates of the planting and harvesting seasons associated with rainy seasons or storms, hurricanes, torrential floods, significant deterioration of agricultural soil, and depletion and pollution of water sources, which forced the population On internal migration and displacement in search of water and services.
Yemen's topography plays a major role in the groundwater reserve due to the presence of steep hills that cause torrents to flow in the east, west and south direction, and the largest groundwater reserve in the country is achieved in Hadhramaut and Sayun. However, incorrect domestic use and unregulated irrigation deplete the water reserve, according to Al-Qadiri, who She explained that the seawater desalination projects that would have financed Taiz and Ibb from the Red Sea side were halted due to the war.
During the period from January to November 2023, Yemen suffered from harsh conditions of heavy rains, floods, and severe storms, according to a UN report, which led to more than 24,000 families being affected in various parts of the country.
A report by the United Nations Development Program expected that Yemen will witness a difficult reality during the next three decades as a result of continuous and severe climate changes, which may cause more human and material losses and exacerbate the humanitarian and food crises.
The UN report warned that the worst is yet to come in Yemen, especially as it is witnessing a change in weather, including rising and falling temperatures, heavy rainfall, floods, hurricanes, severe storms, and other climate changes.