Tackling Climate Change in Yemen: Environmental Policy Gaps and Organizational Solutions
摘要
Yemen is grappling with two of the most pressing humanitarian challenges in its history: climate change and armed conflict. Since the onset of the war in September 2014, the country has faced recurrent environmental disasters, particularly in mountainous regions and coastal areas bordering the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and Socotra Island. These regions remain highly vulnerable to severe cyclones and extreme weather events. From 2021 to 2024, the compounded effects of conflict and climate-related disasters have significantly worsened Yemen's humanitarian crisis, underscoring the urgent need for effective disaster management policies. Incorporating historical techniques from Ancient Arabia Felix, including advanced water storage methods and terrace farming, offers essential lessons for developing sustainable strategies to address future climate challenge. This paper examines the challenges facing Yemen in managing natural disasters amidst political instability and climate change. It evaluates the roles of key environmental organizations, highlights gaps in disaster management, and proposes actionable recommendations inspired by successful international models. Empirical evidence is drawn from qualitative research, including semi-structured interviews with government authorities, meteorological reports, international news sources, and the author's personal observations. The findings reveal that Yemen’s response to tropical storms has been catastrophic, despite the availability of advanced early-warning technologies. The lack of a cohesive disaster management strategy and a clear vision for climate resilience has exacerbated the crisis. This study recommends structural reforms, including improving coordination between government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations, as well as adopting proven international frameworks to enhance Yemen's capacity to mitigate natural disasters in the context of its political instability.