83718 November 2013 · Number 98 ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN FRAGILE STATES: AN EXAMPLE FROM YEMEN Lia Carol Sieghart and David Rogers1 Introduction: It is predicted that the effects of climate change, especially extreme floods and droughts, will significantly affect the world’s fragilei and least developed countriesii. Yemen, with its struggling economy and various levels of fagility and conflict, faces daunting development challenges. Throughout 2011 the country experienced political unrest, further aggravating a dangerous downward trend for already impoverished Yemenis. Challenged with diminishing water resources, increasing reliance on agriculture – half of which is rain- fed – and frequent floods and droughts, Yemenis face the daunting task of coping with the potentially devastating effects of climate variability and further climate change as the growth of global greenhouse gas emissions continues apace. It is estimated that climate change induced price increases will increase agricultural GDP, while decreasing real household incomes and food security. Non- farm and farm households will be hit hard Picture courtesy: Peter Speyrer because they are both net buyers of food iii. securing food and water supplies, reducing Creating a climate resilient society is a the impact of climate-sensitive diseases, and challenge and more so in a fragile state like preventing weather-related hazards from Yemen, where options are limited. The health becoming major disasters. Climate-informed and well being of the population depends on decisions that would effectively address these issues are currently not possible. Significant investment is needed to improve climate 1 Lia Carol Sieghart, Lead Climate Change Specialist, SASDC, South Asia Region, the World Bank and David information and services, to manage climate- Rogers, Health and Climate Foundation. This Quick Note related risks and to adapt to the environmental was cleared by Charles Cormier, Sector Manager, MNSSD changes that are occurring. Any climate and Wael Zakout, Country Manager, Yemen. The World strategy must also explicitly consider the needs Bank Task Team includes: Lia Sieghart (Task Team Leader), Vladimir Tsirkunov, David Rogers, Deepali Tewari, Suiko of the poor and socially excluded, which are Yoshijima, Song Li, Shawki Barghouti, George Keith always the most vulnerable and Pitman, Andrew Losos, Garry Charlier, Samira Al-Harithi, disproportionately impacted by weather Saleh Qasem Al-Manary, Moad Alrubaidi, Andrea Zanon, extremes. The particular challenges in fragile Salenna Prince and Marie A. F. How Yew Kin. states and the risks associated with any and enhancing provision of ecosystem program development are vast and should not goods and services in rural communities be downplayed. Nevertheless, there are significant developments happening in 3- Climate-Resilient Integrated Coastal Zone building resilience to climate change. Driven by Management, is developing an integrated awareness of the threat of climate change, new crosscutting approach to mainstream approaches are emerging to build resilience, climate resilience in the coastal zone; with important results despite the difficult context. Moreover, Yemen’s efforts and improving knowledge generation and leadership have the potential for replication management; and implementing regionally and internationally. adaptation measures. Yemen’s Strategic Program for Climate Resilience: Yemen has approached this task by Figure 1 creating a strategic program for climate resilience, encouraging donor support for climate related projects and requiring cross- government implementation of climate-smart policies. The Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCRiv) is making the first significant investment in Yemen. As a high risk country, Yemen is one of nine pilot countries under the PPCR pursuant to the Climate Investment Funds. The program is demonstrating ways in which climate risk and resilience can be incorporated into developmental planning and the daily decisions of people. Investments supported by the PPCR: In Yemen, the program has developed three investments – (i) Climate Information System and PPCR Program Coordination; (ii) Climate Resilience of Rural Communities; and (iii) Climate-Resilient Integrated Coastal Zone Management. These are summarized below: Ownership, Local Communities and Yemen’s 1- The Climate Information System and PPCR Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Program Coordination component is Change: A key driving force for the PPCR process is strong local ownership and strengthening and integrating the national government leadership, implemented through networks of meteorological, hydro- an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate meteorological and agro-meteorological Change (IMCCC – see Figure 1). The IMCCC is observations; advancing human and a sub-committee of the Cabinet, involving a institutional capacity building; expanding total of 12 line ministries, whose activities are weather, water and climate information directly impacted by weather and climate services while serving as integrator for the hazards. Chaired by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, it represents a whole program. strong political commitment to mainstream climate resilience into development planning 2- The Climate Resilience of Rural Communities for Yemen. It also ensures that the PPCR and components is combining soil and water the overall climate change agenda receive the management for climate change adaptation highest level of political attention. Remarkably, November 2013 · Number 98 · 2 the IMCCC remained fully operational colleagues is included as are community based throughout almost a year of crisis in the wake education projects. The Women and of the Arab Spring and was seamlessly Environment Unit of the Environmental embedded in the newly established Protection Authority, with the support of local Government of National Reconciliation. women’s NGOs, monitors this Gender S mart However the real strength of the program is the Management Framework. ownership by the local population. A comprehensive stakeholder consultation Sustaining Climate Resilience: Yemen, a country process guided its development resulting in the with limited resources, is highly vulnerable to identification of the three investments to be climate variability and change in many critical supported by the program. This participatory sectors. By building climate resilience into process built national and local ownership, development planning, scarce national enabling consensus on the investment priorities resources can be used optimally. Sustaining while shaping the programv. This strong changes made in institutions to cope with ownership was the key ingredient, which climate is a challenge and requires active allowed program preparation during times of coordination between all capacity building uncertainty, times of prolonged power-cuts, efforts of the PPCR and other investments. and when there was only limited in-country movement. The program was designed to be as Outcomes of the PPCR: The expected flexible as possible to allow for adjustments as outcomes of implementing the PPCR are conditions changed. Consequently all building climate resilience and the ability to investments are scalable and transferrable, as adapt into the water and agricultural sectors, as should be standard practice for a country as well as coastal zones; better food security by diverse as Yemen. improving resilience of both water and agricultural sectors; augmenting agricultural Key Issues addressed: production planning, including women farmers to take into account climate change; and Political Will: The PPCR process, the improving the sustainability of irrigated establishment of the IMCCC and the agriculture by making more climate-informed preparation of the program are strong decisions on the regulation and use of indications of the commitment of the groundwater. Government to address the threats posed by climate change to the social and economic Operational Approaches – Key Lessons development of Yemen. Learned: Engaging in a challenging environment requires: Cultural Setting: In most fragile states, women in rural areas play vital roles in water and  A good understanding of the political agriculture and are the most vulnerable to the economy, instutions, local dynamics and adverse impacts of climate. Yemen is no processes; exception. The program is highly sensitive to the need for inclusion if climate resilience is to  A multi-sectoral perspective and become part of the mainstream activities of integrative capacity when assembling the Yemeni society. Involving women in climate task team, ideally with actors who are well change activities at local and community levels versed with the local context; is essential for increasing climate resilience and enhancing the adaptive capacity of these  Gender-smart approaches that emphasize vulnerable sectors. To this end, the investments social inclusion; actively focus on the specific needs of women and include female technical specialists  Strong partnerships with and among all seconded to the Project Management Units local actors; from the government entities implementing the investments. Targeted training aimed at female November 2013 · Number 98 · 3  A program that is flexible and simple – while strengthening community and government capacity;  Straight forward implementation processes to reduce government transaction costs;  Being innovative and thinking outside of the box, while also managing expectations by being realistic on achievable results;  Local expertise and expert technical knowledge to develop activities that are ihttp://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTLICUS/Resource best suited for the specific country context; s/511777- 1269623894864/HarmonizedlistoffragilestatesFY14.pdf  A forum for coordination and consultation ii OECD 2013: Fragile states 2013: Resource flows and trends in with government, civil society, academia, a shifting world. DAC International network on conflict private sector and donors – while creating and Security iii Breisinger, C. O. Ecker, P. Al-Riffai,R. Robertson, R. strong buy-in and ownership from a wider Thiele, and M. Wiebelt. 2011. Climate Change, group of players and potential Agricultural Production and Food Security: Evidence beneficiaries; from Yemen. Kiel Working Papers, Kiel Institute for World Economy, No. 1747. iv www.climateinvestmentfunds.org  “Face time” with clients; and last but not v Source: Yemen Strategic Program for Climate Resilience least: (SPCR 2011). Available online: https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/cifnet/?q=co untry/yemen  Listening – Listen! Listen! Listen! – our counterparts know their local settings. November 2013 · Number 98 · 4