Yemen Monitor / Aden / Exclusive:
Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi, the Minister of Water and Environment in the internationally recognized Yemeni government, announced on Saturday that the board of directors of the United Nations’ Adaptation Fund has decided to increase its allocation for Yemen to $40 million US dollars. This step comes as part of efforts to enhance climate resilience in the country, which is among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change globally.
This announcement came on the sidelines of the minister’s participation in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), currently being held in Belém, Brazil, during his meeting with the Fund’s executive team.
Al-Sharjabi described the Fund’s decision as “an important step that reflects expanding partnership opportunities and the confidence of climate funds in national capacities,” emphasizing that the Yemeni government is committed to supporting the most vulnerable communities in facing environmental and climate challenges.
The Minister indicated that work is ongoing to formulate the National Adaptation Plan and launch the Nationally Determined Contributions aimed at reducing emissions and enhancing the ability to adapt to climate change.
For its part, the Adaptation Fund team praised the efforts made by the Yemeni government in climate planning despite the difficult circumstances, noting that these efforts have resulted in the approval of the first projects funded by the Fund in Yemen, specifically in Wadi Tuban in the southern Lahj governorate.
In a related context, Al-Sharjabi stressed that the biggest threat facing Yemen today is the direct impact of climate on limited water resources, which are at risk of drought, exacerbating the accumulated economic and humanitarian crises resulting from years of conflict.
The Minister said: “Investing in climate action in Yemen is the main path for climate, economic, and social recovery from the effects of war and instability.”
