Aden, (February, 15, 2025)
Executive Summary
In Yemen, Climate change renders some areas uninhabitable, when people are displaced, their lives change overnight. They are forced to live in frontline’s communities, disproportionately affected by climate change. Despite their minimal contribution to climate change exacerbation, frontline communities (including IDPs, women, Muhamasheen, and persons with disabilities) are the most affected by its ongoing impacts.
A study prepared by Holm Akhdar for Environmental Studies and Consultancy on climate displacement, entitled ‘At the Mercy of the Climate: The Impact of Climate Change on IDPs in Yemen’ concluded that the extreme climate events in Yemen during the period (2020-2024) have pushed more than a half of IDPs to adopt maladaptive coping strategies. This study examines the impact of climate change on IDPs in Yemen across six chapters, focusing on IDPs in Marib, Hajjah, Al-Maharah, and Socotra.
The significance of this study lies in its being one of the first case studies that examine the impact of climate change on internal displacement in Yemen, specifically focusing on the governorates of Marib, Hajjah, Al Maharah and Socotra. Prior to this research, no comprehensive studies have been conducted on the impact of climate change-induced displacement in these particular areas. The importance of the study is also reflected in its subject, which may make this study a new qualitative addition to increased understanding of the impact of climate change on internal displacement in Yemen.
Summary of Findings
Drivers of Displacement
Field findings indicated that approximately 13.9% of the IDPs surveyed in Marib, Hajjah, Al-Maharah, and Socotra, were displaced primarily due to the impact of climate changes in their areas of origin. Among those displaced due to climate changes, around 10.2% experienced displacement triggered by floods and landslides, leading to the destruction of housing in their areas of origin. Additionally, 3.7% of them were displaced by drought and shortage of rainfall in their areas of origin, leading to water scarcity and affecting sources of income, with disruption of various livelihoods such as agriculture, grazing and other economic activities.
The findings of focused group discussions (FGDs) and qualitative interviews conducted by Holm Akhdar team, as part of this study, reveal that climate disasters have intensified the hardship experienced by IDPs, compelling them to endure multiple displacements, either within sites or towards other districts and governorates. A significant portion of climate-induced displacement from these camps can be attributed to torrential rains and flash floods, as witnessed in Socotra and Al Maharah governorates. Additionally, in the camps of Hajjah Governorate, displacement was driven by water scarcity, prompting IDPs to seek relocation to areas in close proximity to wells and water sources.
Direct Climate Impacts on IDPs
The study findings indicate that a significant proportion 94.3% of the IDPs in the governorates of Marib, Hajjah, Al Maharah, and Socotra have already experienced a wide range of climate-related impacts within their temporary camps. At the governorate level, the study revealed that IDPs in the eastern regions, namely Al Maharah and Socotra, were most severely affected, with 100% of them reporting these effects. In Marib and Hajjah, the percentages of affected IDPs were 95.5% and 90%, respectively. This discrepancy can be attributed to the successive and concerning occurrence of extreme weather events in the eastern regions, for example, between 2015 and 2023, Yemen was hit by eight cyclones and severe storms, compared to only one tropical storm in the previous years (2007-2014).
The most pressing threats posed by climate change to IDPs in Yemen include intense storms such us thunderstorms (affected 96.7% of the IDPs), heavy rains (affected 93.1%), and flash floods (affected 75.1%). These impacts are associated with an escalating death toll and exacerbated losses and damages on an annual basis. It is imperative to recognize the heightened vulnerability of frontline communities, which are particularly exposed to the adverse effects of climate change. Displaced people including women, children, Muhamasheen, persons with disabilities, and others are the most affected and least able to cope with these impacts. This exacerbates the climate displacement crisis, thereby creating a vicious cycle of intergenerational trauma and ecological devastation.
Compounding Effects of Climate Change on IDPs
Food shortages and restricted access to relief assistance affect 81.2% of IDPs, worsened by rainstorms and flash floods that destroy supplies. Weak emergency preparedness and inadequate humanitarian response leave many displacement sites underserved, with only 720 out of 2,284 IDP camps receiving international aid.
Extreme weather events, including storms and floods, have led to the destruction of shelters for 74.3% of IDPs, particularly in flood-prone areas where makeshift housing offers little protection. According to focus group discussions with IDP community leaders in Marib, 6,500 tents have been completely destroyed by floods in the last four years, and thousands of tents have been partially damaged. In addition, 175 camps and sites were completely damaged by flash floods in 2024. In Hajjah governorate, 91 IDP camps were severely damaged by floods, with 3,160 tents completely destroyed, and 2,869 tents partially damaged over the past four years. In Al Maharah, nearly 2,500 IDPs are still directly exposed to the risk of flooding in the camps.
Climate change has contributed to disease outbreaks and epidemics such as fevers (malaria and chikungunya), with 73.1% of IDPs affected by fevers, cholera, diarrhea and other epidemics due to swamps created by rainwater, flooding and sewage polluting. Stagnant floodwaters create breeding grounds for disease vectors like mosquitoes. These challenges are compounded by a lack of functional healthcare facilities in these governorates, as many of them sustained serious damages by conflict and extreme weather events.
61.2% of IDPs across the four surveyed governorates identified fires in camps and shelters as significant recurring risks, intricately linked to climate-related factors. The study team noted an increase in fire incidents within IDP camps, forcing residents to seek alternative shelters. Fires often occur due to elevated temperatures in summer, floods, storms, high winds, electrical malfunctions, or cooking practices within tents, and mostly exacerbated by the absence of fire safety and prevention tools (e.g. fire extinguishers, fire blankets) in IDP camps. For example, between January 2020 and June 2024, there were 636 fires in Marib’s camps, resulting in 36 deaths and 89 injuries, including children and women.
Social tensions are a major cumulative effect exacerbated by extreme climatic events affecting IDP communities in Yemen. Approximately 44.1% of displaced respondents reported an increase in social tensions and threats from the host community regarding land issues associated with the camps, which are often owned by local residents. Currently, 103 camp face immediate evacuation threats. After nearly a decade of displacement, landowners are increasingly motivated to invest in their properties, most of which lack formal rental agreements. Additionally, tensions arise from competition over scarce services and resources in host communities. This is particularly evident in the camps located in Marib and Hajjah.
Adapting to a Changing Climate
The climate shocks experienced in the governorates of Marib, Hajjah, Al-Maharah and Socotra have forced displaced families to adopt maladaptive coping strategies, due to their inability to effectively cope with climate risks. Remarkably, 62% of the IDPs in these areas resorted to changing their shelter and endured second displacement to escape the floods and storms that ravaged their camps. While this adaptation strategy may provide temporary relief from immediate climate threats, it could further deepen the climate displacement crisis in the country. Among these IDPs, 36% opted to relocate their shelter within the same area of displacement, while 26% were forced to undergo displacement once again to seek refuge in other safer areas. The decision to flee for a second time was driven by the fact that their initial settlements were situated in flood-prone zones.
A notable part of IDPs, accounting for 38%, have made a deliberate decision to remain in their camps, adapt, and withstand floods and climate threats. 27% of these IDPs have collaborated with their displaced and host communities to mitigate the risk of flooding by constructing buffers and earthen barriers in front of the camps to deter floodwaters. Additionally, they have taken the initiative to educate fellow camp residents through applications such as WhatsApp and others, disseminating knowledge about the hazards of floods, winds, and storms, as well as providing guidance on improved tent installation techniques. Another 7% of IDPs have employed alternative energy technologies in their camps as a means of adapting to climate risks. In Al-Maharah, Marib and Hajjah governorate, 4% of them were compelled to change their professions or occupations.
Key actors in Yemen should focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation as the main strategies to respond to climate change.
Systemic factors contributing to the exacerbation of climate shocks
The study reveal a range of systemic and institutional factors that contribute to the intensification of climate risks faced by displaced communities, as well as the issue of increasing climate-induced displacement. Field data illustrates the most significant factors, accounting for 82% of the IDPs respondents, which is absence of early warning systems EWS to effectively alert local communities of climate-related disasters. In addition, all shelter camps in Yemen have no EWS for disaster risk reduction DRR, including camps in the regions of Marib, Al Maharah, Hajjah, and Socotra. This is closely followed by 80% limited official awareness regarding the severity of climate change and the necessary preparations to mitigate its impacts.
Lack of policies pertaining to the environment and climate ranks third among these contributing factors, representing 75.5% according to respondents. Furthermore, the absence of environmental governance and inadequate institutional capacities are identified as additional factors contributing to climate risks, accounting for 75.1% of the total. Insufficient international support provided to Yemen in confronting climate change is also a major factor, representing 74.7%.
The study results also highlighted a weak response to the climate emergency, revealing significant shortcomings among key actors. Specifically, 57% of IDPs reported that local authorities and humanitarian organizations have implemented limited interventions to mitigate climate risks and facilitate adaptation efforts. Furthermore, 43% of IDPs indicated that no meaningful actions were taken in their IDP sites to protect them from climate disasters. The lack of climate risk reduction interventions was particularly pronounced in the governorates of Socotra and Al-Maharah, as reported by 67% of IDPs, followed by 57% in Hajjah and 29% in Marib.
Without climate action and adaptation strategies, the impact of climate change on IDPs in Yemen will not be limited to the current situation but will extend to successive generations within each local community, perpetuating cycles of vulnerability and displacement.
Methodology
Employing a descriptive and analytical approach, the research utilized a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool, supplemented by Twenty qualitative interviews and five focus groups (both males and females) with 37 participants. The questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 310 IDPs across 26 sites in four governorates: Marib, Hajjah, Al-Maharah, and Socotra. 245 valid and fully completed questionnaires were returned, resulting in a response rate of 79%. The total number of participants across all study tools amounted to 302, male and female individuals. These participants were distributed among questionnaire respondents, FGDs participants, and qualitative interviews. The collected data were subsequently analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel.
Furthermore, the study identified several systemic and structural factors that intensify climate risks for vulnerable groups within the surveyed communities. It also highlighted gaps in the responses to climate emergencies. To address these issues, the study provided recommendations for policymakers, actors, and donors aimed at facilitating climate reforms in Yemen that promote disaster risk reduction.
Author(s); Mohammed Al-Hakimi, Amani Mohammed, and Maha Al-Salehi.
Publisher: Holm Akhdar for Environmental Studies & Consultancy
Languages; English.
This study was carried out by Holm Akhdar for Environmental Studies & Consultancy with the support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) through the Embassy of Switzerland to Oman and Yemen.
Files available for download:
