Aden — The United Nations’ Adaptation Fund has announced an increase in its financial support to Yemen, raising its total allocation to $40 million in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s resilience to climate change.

The announcement was made during a high-level meeting between Yemen’s Minister of Water and Environment, Tawfiq al-Sharjabi, and the executive team of the Adaptation Fund on the sidelines of the COP30 climate summit currently underway in Belém, Brazil.

Minister al-Sharjabi welcomed the decision, describing it as a “significant step” that reflects growing international confidence in Yemen’s national institutions and their capacity to implement climate adaptation strategies. He emphasized that the funding boost would help accelerate the development of Yemen’s National Adaptation Plan and the implementation of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which aim to reduce emissions and enhance climate resilience.

The increased funding comes at a critical time for Yemen, a country grappling with the compounded effects of prolonged conflict, economic collapse, and environmental degradation. Climate-related challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and extreme weather events have further strained the country’s fragile infrastructure and vulnerable communities.

The Adaptation Fund’s support is expected to finance concrete projects that address these challenges, including sustainable water management, agricultural resilience, and disaster risk reduction. The Fund, established under the Kyoto Protocol and now serving the Paris Agreement, has been a key source of climate finance for developing countries facing the brunt of global warming.

Yemen’s government has reiterated its commitment to working with international partners to ensure transparent and effective use of climate funds, aiming to protect livelihoods and promote sustainable development in the face of mounting environmental threats.