Republic of Yemen

INTENDED NATIONALLY DETERMINEDCONTRIBUTION (INDC)
UNDER THE UNFCCC

21 November 2015

Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

YEMENExecutive Summary
Yemen prepared its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document in very
challenging situation in which the country faces precarious security situation, and politicalturmoil including ongoing armed-conflicts. In spite of the ongoing violent conflict and prevailingsecurity challenges, Yemen’s INDC document was drafted through a participatory process which
involved consultations of key relevant stakeholders and technical agencies and based on
available national climate change assessment and analysis.
The Yemen’s INDC document has been prepared in accordance with decision 1/CP.20 (Lima callfor climate action) which also drawn upon available national climate change reports and studies
including the Second National Communication (SNC 2013), National Adaptation Programme of
Action (NAPA 2008), and recent thematic technical assessments in 2015 including mitigation
and adaptation. This document has also consulted, among others, key national and sectorial
documents including the National Strategy for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the
National Water Sector Strategy and Investment Program (NWSSIP-2009),. Adaptation to climatechange across major vulnerable sectors including water, agriculture and coastal areas
represents the central focus of this document which also requires international collaboration
including financial support, and capacity building to assist in addressing climate induced
vulnerabilities to build resilience. Nevertheless, the INDC document provides a vision ofcollaboration with international community including potential conditional and unconditional
mitigation trajectories to reduce GHG emissions relative to business- as- usual (BAU) scenariocontingent on international support.
The latest GHG inventory in Yemen is available for the year of 2000 which reveals total GHG
emissions of about 24.2Mt of Carbon Dioxide- Equivalent (Mt CO2-eq). Also GHG baseline andmitigation scenarios are available up to the year 2025 which had been projected using the Long
range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP) modeling. In addition, projections until theyear 2030 have been estimated based on two factors including: First, the average GHG emission
growth rate of about 2 percent per year for the baseline scenario; Second, the mitigation
potential of about 14 percent below emission projections of the baseline scenario over 15 years
timeframe. In General, Yemen is a Least Developed Country (LDC), and its GHG emissions nearly
negligible accounting for about 0.1 percent of the aggregate world total. Also Yemen has low
GHG emission per capita of approximately 0.92 t CO2-eq in 2011 and ranks at the lowest levels
relative to the world average which had already reached 7 t CO2-eq per capita in 2010.
This INDC document proposes 14 percent GHG emission reduction target by 2030 below BAU
which represents an estimated total cumulative GHG reduction of about 35 MtCO2-eq from2020 through 2030; this includes 1 percent unconditional target and 13 percent conditionaltarget. This document also provides an overview of provisional adaptation and mitigationneeds which require international support as specified in Lima Accord recognizing the special
circumstances of LDCs. However, due to the current situation in Yemen, further studies will be
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conducted in the future to determine the projected loss and damage of climate induced
disaster risks scenarios as well as various adaptation and mitigation measures which requireinternational support to accelerate the implementation of Yemen’s INDC.

1.

National Circumstances

Yemen is an arid Middle Eastern country, located at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula.
Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the Arab region facing multiple challenges and crisis.
The daunting political and socio-economic challenges adversely minimized human development
and economic stability. Increasing poverty rates, lack of employment opportunities,
inequalities, lack of justice, political participation and competition over scarce natural
resources, especially water, have been among the key triggers for the social and political unrest
that erupted in 2011. The humanitarian and livelihoods conditions witnessed a declining trend
in the last decade, especially during the transitional period following the socio-political unrest.
Since then, the economy could not recover to the pre-crisis level and the country slipped into
recession achieving negative economic growth. Failure to achieve peaceful transfer of power
brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) deal during the transition period spiraled into afull-scale war and armed-conflict covering the majority of the country.
Within a few months the humanitarian conditions further declined rapidly reaching to Level 3(complex and severe humanitarian conditions) making over 80 percent in need forhumanitarian assistance. The remarkable resilience of the Yemeni people that withstooddecades of underdevelopment has overstretched beyond its remaining coping mechanisms,
plunging the majority of the people into vulnerability, poverty and insecurity in an
unprecedented scale of humanitarian disaster. The 2015 full-scale war has destroyed theeconomy across the different sectors. Basic services largely collapsed throughout much of thecountry. Throughout most of the country, supplies of food, fuel and medicines are dangerously
low or not available.
In general, the economy of the country is dominated by the oil sector, which accounts for 27
percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 50 percent of national budget revenue and 70
percent of exports. Its population growth rate of 3 percent is one of the highest in the world
and outpaces its economic growth rate. Nearly half the population is below 18 years of age andthree-fourth of the population lives in rural area. Unemployment among 15 - 24 age groups is
53.7 percent of the labor force. Poverty ratio increased from 34.8 percent in 2006 to 54.4
percent in 2011. Consequently, more than half of the population is living with less than $2 a day
and most of the disproportionately affected poor groups include women, children, small scale
framers and sharecroppers, landless labor, nomadic herders and artisanal fishermen who are
spread over 133,000 small rural settlements. Nearly 10.6 million or 41 percent of the
population are food insecure, of which 5 million (19 percent) and 5.6 (22 percent) million aremoderately and severely food insecure, respectively. Furthermore, Yemen ranks lowest on the2Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

YEMEN

Global Gender Equality Index (GGEI). Social development indicators, such as children
malnutrition, maternal mortality, and educational attainment remain discouraging.
Furthermore, water and land resources are already under chronic scarcity, and there are
already a profound water and energy crises in the Yemen. The current political and security
situation is expected to weaken the already ineffective governance capacities of institutions
especially at the local community levels where the majority of the poor and extremely
vulnerable dwellers live. With no resilience building support, the poor are expected to see
greater levels of livelihood vulnerabilities particularly massive risks of deteriorating delivery ofbasic social services including water and energy. Environmental degradation of scarce natural
resources especially water, and land compounded by climate change are among are among the
key challenges the vulnerable dwellers will face in Yemen.
Agriculture, which sustains the rural poor, employs more than 50 percent of the total labor
force of 6.6 million in 2009, but contributes by only 9.7 percent to the GDP while uses around85 percent of its available water resources. Current projections on climate indicate that risingtemperatures and frequent droughts will increase the incidences of land degradation anddesertification. In addition, the water sector already faces formidable challenges, and watertable is declining on average by about 2-7 meters annually due to groundwater overexploitation. The increasingly growing water crisis in Yemen will have severe socio-economicand environmental consequences including, decreased agriculture productivity, reduced foodsecurity, increased conflict over resources, accelerated land degradation, and increased
livelihood vulnerability.
Yemen’s coastal communities and their livelihoods are currently threatened by coastal erosion
and flooding of low-lying areas. Under conditions of sea level rise, these communities could
face damage to assets and property, constraints on water supply and quality, as well as loss inagricultural yields. Shore coral reefs, already prone to damage by the intense wave activity ofstorms in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, may see an increase in intense wave activity andplausibly more frequent and severe storms which have drastic loss and damage costs. Cyclone
Chapala is an example of climate induced disaster risks scenarios which Yemen is projected to
face more frequently over the coming decades where international support will be required tohelp the country manage and reduce potential loss and damages involved besides building thenecessary mechanisms for long-term and sustainable recovery processes.
Given the country’s high levels of food import dependency, food insecurity and poverty, bothglobal and local climate change impacts are likely to significantly influence its future
development and food security. Accordingly, adaptation in the agricultural, water and coast
sectors will have a substantial impact on economic growth and livelihoods. Under the current
political and security situation in Yemen, poverty is expanding, and food insecurity is worsening.
Increases of poverty add additional mounting pressures on the already degrading natural
resources upon which the livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities and excluded groups
rely. The vulnerability of the poor is further exacerbated under the looming impacts of climate

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Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

YEMENchange and expanding ecological scarcities in such a way that is not only endangering the
livelihood sustainability, but also triggering further social tensions and resources conflicts.
Yemen is not contributing a lot into the anthropogenic GHG emissions, but still highly
vulnerable to climate change‐related impacts. The largest share of the total anthropogenic CO2
emissions in Yemen is produced in the energy sector, which is expected to dominate until 2030,
followed by the agricultural, waste and industrial sectors. Consequently, mitigation measures inthe energy sector represent the key opportunity for Yemen to proceed towards a low emission
sustainable development.
Yemen has been party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since
1996, and to the Kyoto Protocol since 2008 as non–Annex I Party. The Environmental Protection
Authority (EPA) is the national focal point for the implementation of the UNFCCC Convention
and Kyoto protocol. EPA played a leading role in coordinating the INDC preparations. In thiscontext, Yemen intends to contribute to global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions
growth contingent on support by the international community.

2.

Yemen Mitigation Contributions

Unconditionaltargets
Conditional targets

Financial needs

Table (1) Overview of Mitigation Targets
A 1 percent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared to a businessas usual (BAU) scenario*
An additional 13 % reduction achievable under certain conditions, which
would bring the total GHG reduction to 14 percent below BAU emission
levels by 2030 **Yemen’s conditional target is conditional upon: Access to new sources of finance and enhanced support,
compared to that received over the past years, to be mobilized
through new climate finance mechanisms, such as the Green
Climate Fund
 Detailed cost estimation of required financial support will be
updated in light of future circumstances by 2020

*Unconditional mitigation scenario: It includes the mitigation measures which Yemen can implement
without international support.
**Note: Data given in the table above are subject to changes and update and Yemen has the right to makenecessary changes relating to the baseline and mitigation scenarios in light of any up-to-date data by
2020.

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Figure (1) BAU Mitigation Scenario

Type ofmitigation
targetTable (2) Summary of Assumptions and Methodologies
Emission reductions from projected emissions for the year 2030, according
to a BAU scenario

Energy: Energy production and Energy demand (households, transport,
industry, services, agriculture and fisheries)
Target economic
Agriculture: Cropping systems, Land-use for agriculture and forestry andsectors
Solar PV water pumping systems for irrigation
Wastes: Solid wastes and Wastewater
The contribution of the Yemen is based on estimated carbon dioxide (CO 2),
Targetmethane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
greenhouse
Fluorinated and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gases are not covered; they are
gases
rarely used in Yemen and their emissions are negligible as the products
containing these gases are not produced in Yemen
GHG emission projection for 2030, starting in 2020. Accordingly,
Baseline
projections do not take into account the mitigation measures and actions
scenario (BUA)
implemented from 2015 in the business-as-usual scenarios
GHG emission projections for 2030, starting in 2020. The unconditional
mitigation scenario is based on the implementation of the already
Mitigation
scheduled or in-progress projects, all of whose funding has been defined,
scenario
while the conditional scenario assumes the implementation of additional
actions over the period 2016 - 2030
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Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

Global Warming
Potential (GWP)

Methodology
for estimating
EmissionsYEMEN

The GWP values used were those identified by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the preparation of national emissions
inventories in accordance with UNFCCC Decision 17/CP.8., for the
preparation of national emissions inventories: GWP CO2 = 1 (byconvention), GWP CH4 = 21 and GWP N2O = 310
GHG baseline and mitigation scenarios are available up to the year 2025
which were projected using LEAP modeling. In addition, projections until
the year 2030 have been estimated based on two factors including: First,
the average GHG emission growth rate of about 2 percent per year for thebaseline scenario; Second, the mitigation potential of about 14 percent
below emission projections of the baseline scenario over 15 years
timeframe. In this regard, considering that this report was built on old andpoor data, under an exceptional situation, Yemen reserves the right toupdate its INDC according to the availability of new effective data andconditions

Table (3) Summary of Key Mitigation Data
Years2010 2020 2025
Emissions- BAU (Mt Carbon Dioxide
24.18 35.94 39.68
equivalent)
Emissions Unconditional Scenario (Mt24.18 35.90 39.50
CO2eq)
Emissions Conditional Scenario (Mt CO2eq)
24.18 35.25 36.74
Expected Emission Reduction- Unconditional
0.00
0.04
0.18
Scenario
Expected Emission Reduction- Conditional
0.00
0.68
2.94
Scenario

2030

Total (20102030)

43.81

437.3043.35

434.9737.67

402.33

0.46

2.33

6.13

34.97

2.1 Unconditional Mitigation Measures
Unconditional mitigation measures are scheduled or in-progress projects, all of whose funding
has been defined including those under implementation. Some mitigation measures under
implementation are summarized in table (4).

SectorEnergyTable (4) Mitigation Measures under Implementation
Measures1. Mocha Wind farm Project, 2014-2019, (MUS$ 144.00) - Government
funding: (US$ 19 Million)
2. Rural Energy Access Project, 2009-2017, (MUS$ 121.40) - Government
funding: (US$ 12.20 Million)
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3. Marib Gas Turbine Power Station 400 MW- phase 2 (Total Cost = US$ 400
Million) - Government funding: (US$ 49 Million$)
4. The Expansion of Solar Power Technology in Yemen (US$ 50 Million) The
project is being implemented nationally, with a particular focus on piloting
solar technologies in government buildings, schools, hospitals and theagricultural sector (solar water pumping).

2.2 Conditional Mitigation Measures
The proposed conditional measures to reduce GHG emissions are summarized in Tables (5).
Table (5) Conditional Mitigation Measures
Sector/Subsector
Energy Power
Generation

Mitigation Measures
Efficient power generation, transmission and distribution. (15 percent
increase in energy efficiency in the power sector until 2025)
Switch to efficient power generation for new generation capacities that are
to be installed, these include:- Combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants with overall efficiencies
approaching to 60 percent for central (interconnected) power supply- Combined heat and power (CHP) generation systems with overall
efficiencies of more than 80 percent appropriate for decentralized power
supply for rural electrification, in industrial, commercial and residential
sectorsa) Promoting the use of renewable energy sources for electricity
generation.
- Off-grid electrification (electrification of individual rural Households-HH):
110.000 rural HH (45 percent of identified market potential) to beelectrified Solar Home Systems until 2025 (installed capacity around 5.5
MWp))- Rural electrification based on renewable energy (photovoltaic (PV)systems, solar home systems (SHS), wind energy converters, where
feasible, and biomass, both in stand-alone and hybrid schemes)- Large-scale power generation from renewable energy sources (gridconnected), including solar thermal power plants, solar PV plants, andwind farms including : Grid electricity (large scale electricity generation): 15 percent ofgeneration mix in 2025 (2600 GWh). This translates into an overall
installed capacity in 2025 of: 400 MW from wind farms
 160 MW from geothermal power stations
 6 MW from power stations using landfill gas
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Fuel
switching tonatural gas.
Residential
andCommercial

Promoting the wide use of natural gas for power generation, industry andother economic sectors

Transport
Industrial-

Agriculture

-

Water
Wastes--Launch energy-efficiency programs through establishing energy efficiency
standards, energy use regulations and labeling and public awareness.
Promote active use of solar energy through use of solar water heaters
instead of electric water heaters and use of solar-driven air-conditioning
and solar refrigeration. (Solar Water Heaters: 40 percent of market
potential in 2025 (200,000 units) representing a saving potential of 457
GWh)
Improving energy use efficiency in transportation sector.
Introduction of renewable energy sources in the industrial energy supplies
concepts (solar water heaters, solar based process heat/steam,photovoltaic and wind systems)
Introduction of solar photovoltaic (PV) water pumping systems for
irrigation
Proper land management to reduce methane from soil
Methane captures from wastewater treatment plants
Encouraging and expanding renewable energy-based water desalination
Landfill gas capturing for flaring or using for power generation

2.3 Fairness and Ambition
Yemen, as a Least Developed Country (LDC) whose emissions are less than 0.1 percent of global
emissions, is not contributing a lot into the anthropogenic GHG emissions (0.92 Metric Tons per
capita in 2011) but stands highly vulnerable to climate change‐related impacts because of its
fragile socioeconomic development and inadequate adaptive capacity. However, Yemen
recognizes that in order to meet the 2 degree objective all countries will need to undertake
mitigation. In view of that, Yemen’s approach focuses on avoiding an increase of emissions per
capita beyond this level, while pursuing its development goals.
In addition, Yemen account for a small share of past global greenhouse gases, it is therefore
putting forward actions that align with a low carbon development pathway, which to be fully
implemented would require additional international support in the form of finance, technology
transfer and capacity building. In addition, Yemen’s INDC represents its aspiration to increase
the resilience to climate change by introducing a comprehensive programme for adaptation
action across sectors in support of livelihoods, and economic well-being of the Yemeni people.
This represents a high level of fairness and ambition in light of Yemen’s national circumstances.

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Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)
3.

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Yemen Adaptation Measures

3.1 Climate change scenarios and vulnerability:
The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) showsthat climate change will have impact on world weather patterns, and that some regions andsectors are likely to be particularly affected. Although patterns of change in precipitation underclimate change are not fully certain, agriculture and water are evidently the region’s top
sectoral vulnerabilities. The average temperature rise in the region is faster than the global
average and is likely to persist in the future. Currently developing countries situated in arid andsemi-arid zones, which Yemen is one of them, are dealing with myriads of environmental andsocio-economic challenges including poverty, resource degradation, alarming population
growth, and low agricultural productivity. Yemen encompasses an area of about 45.5 million
hectares, the majority of which is arid lands and desert.
Several studies were conducted to assess the impacts of climate change in Yemen including
Yemen's Initial National Communication (INC 2001); National Adaptation Programme of Action(NAPA 2008); and Yemen’s Second National Communication (SNC 2013). The three studies
found that agriculture, water and coast are among the top vulnerable sectors in Yemen which isconsistent with findings of the mentioned regional climatic projections. In 2010, the World Bank
conducted a study entitled “Assessing the Impact of Climate Change and Variability on the
Water and Agriculture Sectors, and the Policy Implications” which projected climate change
impacts on agriculture and water sectors in Yemen under a range of assumptions about future
emissions.
The impact of climate change in Yemen is expected to be particularly significant due tohistorical patterns of climatic variability, high levels of water scarcity and the country‘s relianceon climate-vulnerable sectors, such as water, agriculture, and coastal sectors. Average annual
precipitation in the country is very low, ranging from less than 50 millimeters (mm) in the
coastal plains and desert plateau regions to around 800 mm in the mountainous highland
region in the west. To make matters worse, the precipitation distribution of Yemen ischaracterized by seasonally intense and short-lived heavy storms that produce flash floods
interspersed with long dry periods leading to widespread drought.
The following provides a summary of major impacts of climate change in Yemen which
represents priority areas of interventions for building resilience:

Increased water scarcity and reduced water quality – leading to increased hardship on
rural livelihoods;
Increased drought frequency, increased temperatures, and changes in precipitation
patterns – leading to degradation of agricultural lands, soils and terraces;
Deterioration of habitats and biodiversity – leading to expansion of desertification;

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Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)





YEMEN

Reduced agricultural productivity – leading to increased food insecurity and reduced
income generating activities;
Increased sea levels – leading to deterioration of wetlands, coastal mangrove migration,
erosion, infrastructure damage, and seawater groundwater intrusion;
Increased climatic variability – leading to the possibility of spread and growth of vector
borne and water borne diseases; andImpacts on coastal zones – leading to a loss of tourism activity due to sea level rise
including loss of beaches.

In 2008, the flash flood of a severe tropical cyclone had caused one of the most serious natural
disasters in Yemen over the past decades leading to loss of lives, and damages of houses,
infrastructure, and agricultural sector. The flooding resulted in estimated damage and losses of$1.64 billion. An estimated 700,000 persons were internally displaced as a result of the severe
flooding affected low-lying Wadie of Hadhramout and Al-Mahra in Yemen in 2008 which is said
to be attributed to climate change induced tropical cyclone. More frequent and severe disasterrisks are projected under climate change scenarios. Cyclone Chapala of this year is anotherrecent example of climate induced disaster risks scenarios which have significant loss anddamage costs in Yemen
On the other hand, considerable losses in grain production and husbandry have already been
experienced in 2008/2009; when aggregate production was lower by 24 percent compared to2007. This dramatic fall in food production was largely due to increasingly prolonged drought
conditions, when most of water sources in valleys producing grain dried up. These changes intemperature and rainfall patterns are likely to worsen existing water scarcity conditions, loss ofland productivity and desertification processes as well as frequency and intensity of climate
induced drought and flood related disaster risks, which have been increasing over the past
decade in all parts of the country including the latest Chapala tropical cyclone of November
2015. The involved loss and damage of such extreme weather events are significant but further
studies will be conducted in the future to determine the estimated costs associated with theclimate induced disaster risks scenarios.
Thus, climate change represents a major threat to Yemen’s economy and food security, which
are overwhelmingly dependant on rain-fed agricultural production. Some of the criticalunderlying causes of current vulnerability relate to heavy reliance on agriculture, highpopulation growth and poverty rates, with increasing inequalities. The agricultural sector
currently uses over 90 percent of all freshwater resources. In addition, a combination of rural
economic growth and demographic pressures is driving up demand for water, especially those
extracted from the groundwater reserves.
Consequently, Yemen’s aquifers are being mined at such a rate that groundwater levels havebeen falling by 2 to 7 meters annually. Climate change will clearly exert additional pressure on
recharge rates through rainfall decline and lead to accelerated depletion. As such, modeling
results predict groundwater reserves will be exhausted by about 2025-2030. Climate models
which had been deployed based on regional scenarios indicates that Yemen is projected to10

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witness greater variability, with an increased frequency of intense rainfall events and therefore
possibly an increased risk of drought and floods- see three projected climate scenarios below asshown in Figure (2). Also, the marginal impact of climate change scenarios on rainfall and crop
production is shown in Table (6). The common factors in the predictions are:
 Yemen will be getting warmer, most likely at a faster rate than the global average (bybetween 1 and 4.5oC towards the end of century) and more arid.
 It is likely that there will be more variability of rainfall patterns within years.
 There will be an increased frequency of intense rainfall events and therefore an
increased risk of floods and drought.
In a nutshell, Yemen is anticipated to experience steadily rise in temperatures, and an increasein variability of rainfall and in heavy precipitation events under climate change. Rainfall changes
will be accompanied by changes in the intensity of wind and frequency of high temperaturesand changed cloudiness. Less predictable rainfall and a hotter and possibly drier climate would
place Yemen’s people and economy under further stress. Climate change could also badly affect52 percent of Yemen’s workforce working in the agricultural field.
Table (6) Marginal Impact of Climate Change Scenarios on Rainfall and Crop Production
ScenarioMid
Hot and Dry
Hot and Wet
Year2030 2050 2080
2030
2050
2080 2030 2050 2080
Temperature (Co)
Rainfall
Crop Production

+1.6
+3%
+1%

+2
+3%
+1.1%

+3.1
-3%
-6.3%

+2
-13
-10.7%+2.6-13-11.2%+4.5-24-27.2%

+1
25%
14.1%

+1.2
20%
11.7%

+1.6
13%
6.5%

Figure (2) Simplified Climate Scenarios Showing Changes in Annual Average Precipitation and
Annual Average Warming

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3.2 Adaptation Measures
Owing to the multidimensional nature of vulnerability in Yemen, adaptation is centered aroundmulti-sectoral and stakeholder consultations to build up resilience of the major priority sectors
being affected by climate change. In addition to the already planned and implemented shortterm adaptation measures and actions, Yemen intends to plan and implement medium- andlong-term resilience building measures to address the impacts of climate changes, given thatthese changes has already significantly affected most sectors relevant to economic, food andwater security of Yemeni citizens.
Yemen’s water scarcity represents a direct pressing factor and threat to its economy anddirectly affects the food security of the Yemeni citizens. However, Yemen spares no effort toplay a positive role in this international orientation in accordance with its national interests andthe rights of Yemeni people in the provision of decent living conditions.
It is expected that Yemen will witness a noticeable increase in the annual temperature as well
as a steady decrease in the annual rainfall. As mentioned above, Yemen is highly vulnerable toclimate change and it is therefore expected that the effects of climate change would obviously
affect water, agriculture, health and bio-diversity sectors due to their structural fragility as wellas the lack of institutional and technical capacities including other necessary means to copewith the effects and minimize the risks of climate change. This document therefore provides avision for adaptation which would set the ground to build resilience under the identified
climate risk scenarios, which represent the cornerstone for achieving sustainable development.
Such a vision will also set the ground for enabling actions which include preparation of National
Adaptation Plan (NAP). NAP will provide the necessary information including on medium- andlong terms climate vulnerabilities, and investment programmes to build resilience under the
projected climate risks scenarios. Building of resilience will necessarily require international
support to enable Yemen to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Yemen’s Future Plan to address the effects of climate change will require measures to reduce
the risks and enhance adaptation especially of already fragile and most vulnerable sectors, inparticular, the unprecedented droughts, land degradation, sea level rise and coastal storm
surges which recently have caused widespread devastation of coastal communities, asevidenced by most recently Chapala Cyclone in November 2015. These can be realized througha range of actions aimed at promoting resilience to the effects of and disaster risks associatedwith local and global climate change scenarios.

3.2.1 Presentation of current adaptation measures
A number of institutional actions are being carried out in Yemen, many of which are set to offer
significant insights and experiences on current and potential mitigation and adaptation
strategies for addressing climate change. A selection of the main programmes under
implementation includes:12Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

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1- Many key programs identified in NAPA are either planned or under implementationsuch as the national early warning system for natural disasters and climate change
vulnerability assessment of key sectors;
2- Yemen is a pilot country for CIF’s Pilot Project for Climate Resilience (PPCR). As thepoorest country in the Middle East, the Yemen PPCR strategic programme is designed toreduce the vulnerability of coastal populations and integrate climate resilience andadaptation planning and capacity into the water and agricultural sectors withinvestments in three focus areas:(i) Climate Information System and Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (CISPPCR) Climate Services - (budget:US$19 Million);(ii) Integrated Coastal Zone Management (budget: US$ 20 Million); and(iii) Natural Resource Management and Rural Livelihoods (budget: US$ 11 Million).
3- The “Small Holder Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (SAPEP) under Global
Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), (budget: US$ 36 Million);
4- Rural Growth Program (budget: US$ 167 Million);5- Rain-fed Agriculture and Livestock Project (budget: US$ 12.9 Million);
6- Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity;
7- Climate Resilience of Rural Communities (CRRC) Project;
8- Third National Communication and First Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC (budget:
US$ 0.852 Million);
9- The ‘Small Holder Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Program (SAPEP) under Global
Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), (budget: US$ 36 Million).

3.2.2 Presentation of planned adaptation measures:
The implementation of adaptation measures will be based on related national frameworks andsectoral strategies such as the National Water Sector Strategy and Investment Plan (NWSSIP),
the National Agriculture Sector Strategy (NASS) and the National Biodiversity Strategy andAction Plan (NBSAP), among others. A wide-ranging of measures is proposed to address climate
vulnerabilities of priority sectors and thematic areas and this includes:
1- Promotion and scale-up of rainwater harvesting to reduce climate induced water
shortage;2- Promoting agriculture drought management as well as sustainable crop andlivestock management;
3- Plan and implement proper land resources management programs.
4- Llivelihood approaches for integrating natural resources management andpreservation of sensitive ecosystems;
5- Disaster risk management including flood and drought management.
6- Capacity Building for integrated coastal zones and marine resources management.
7- Capacity building and awareness raising; and8- Institutional capacity for building resilience climate change including planning,
programing, monitoring and resources mobilization.
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Also there are a number of pipelined projects with support from United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) with the aim of building climate
resilience of vulnerable local communities in Yemen which include:Promote and build climate resilience to reduce vulnerability in Wadis and coastal areas;
Enhance livelihood approach for integrating natural resources management andpreservation of sensitive ecosystems.
Introduce and scale-up renewable energy applications to reduce rural communities’
vulnerability.

The implementation of Yemen’s INDC relating to adaptation will largely depends on financial
support by the UNFCCC climate financing mechanisms including on the Green Climate Fund
(GCF). Also Yemen needs international support for preparation and implementation of NAP toaddress the effects of climate change in a sustainable manner. In this context, Yemen will needsupport in terms of finance, capacity building and technology transfer.
Equally important, support should also include focus on building medium- and long-term
resilience capacity needs of the poor, and excluded groups, while at the same time responding
to the emerging vulnerabilities being largely amplified by the escalating political-security
economic consequences through a set of urgent but scalable livelihood strengthening
interventions (i.e. labor-intensive terrace rehabilitation, community-based natural resource
conflict-sensitive management, and income-generating livelihoods) that reinforce short-term
resilience capacity needs at the grassroots levels.

4.

Issues and Needs

As a LDC, Yemen is a resource‐constrained country with limited capacities but still experiencing
tremendous development challenges, and pressing priorities. Yemen also has the lowest Official
Development Assistance (ODA) of per capita at US$12.7 or just 2.2 percent of GDP, compared
to US$33.4 per capita (18.7 percent of GDP) for other least developed countries in the world.
A range of factors pose challenges to addressing climate in Yemen. These include weak
governance and institutional structures, lack of long-term reliable data or technical capacity toanalyze the data, uncertainties in regional and local climate scenarios as well as socio-economic
scenarios, generally low awareness levels regarding climate change, low institutional or
technical capacity to interpret, modify, or develop existing models or methodologies, and adearth of research on applicable policy measures to address climate change.
With the current weak adaptive and institutional capacity, it is unlikely for Yemen to build up
adequate climate change resilience, and ensure low‐emission development trajectories unless

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Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)

YEMEN

sufficient support has been provided to enable Yemen implement its ambitious GHG emissions
reduction targets as well as adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Yemen is geographically divided up by five major land and eco-climatic systems in addition to
the different socio-economic rural-urban settings, and geographical and topographicalcharacteristics, and localities across the various governorates, and districts of the country. Eachand every specific locality would probably have its own locality specific adaptation needs.
However, it can be noted that each of the aforementioned studies has only covered a limited
number of sectors through scattered and selected pilot areas. Different areas have not been
covered, and new emerging climate change associated impacts including spread of diseases
such as Dengue have not yet been explored In addition, these studies have only provided ageneric outlook rather than location-specific information which sounds to have very low
applicability across the diverse geographic, topographic landscapes of the country.
Therefore, more studies will be conducted under the NAP process which will provide up-to-date
analysis with economy-wide adaptation needs including on costing of investments covering thevarious medium- and long-term adaptation measures, as well as loss and damage associatedwith climate induced disaster risk scenarios. Therefore, it is important to note that this INDC
document has drawn on available reports and studies while other national-wide and localityspecific vulnerabilities, and adaption needs have not been reflected owing to lack of sufficient
information at this stage when the INDC is drafted.
Additional ssupport will also needed on issues relating to Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) andDisaster Risk Reduction (DRR) as well as Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EBA) including onsustainable management of natural resource, and disaster risk management (DRM) to help thecountry reduce potential loss and damages associated with climate induced disaster risk
scenarios such as the already occurring extreme hydrological weather events including more
frequent and severe droughts and floods..
Consequently the implementation of Yemen’s INDC will need significant support in terms of
capacity building and technology development and transfer. Without such support under such afragile situation, the looming environmental scarcity threats, and climate change impacts andpotential risks will further compound the mounting political-security effects on the poor ingeneral and the most vulnerable in particular.

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