EVENT
Video: Yemen and its environment
Watch a video of our online panel discussion on the environmental dimensions to conflict and peacebuilding in Yemen.
This event took place on 2 March. You can watch a recording of the event below.
Thank you to all who could join us and to the discussants for their involvement in this event.
The conflict in Yemen is playing out in one of the world’s most water-scarce countries, where natural disasters, such as cyclones and flooding, are becoming more frequent and more destructive for both Yemenis and their environment. In this context, agricultural yield has dwindled and food insecurity further intensified exacerbating famine conditions, while off the western coast of Yemen sits the floating storage and offloading unit (FSO) SAFER threatening an oil spill which could wipe out marine biodiversity in the Red Sea and the livelihoods of thousands of Yemeni fishers.
The conflict has undoubtedly affected Yemen’s capacity to address these environmental challenges. What is more difficult to discern is how both environmental degradation and the failure to mitigate and adapt sustainably to the consequences are driving the conflict itself, with devastating political, economic and humanitarian implications. The question also remains whether meaningful dialogue on addressing these environmental issues is even possible in the current conflict context. Or whether perhaps environmental challenges should be prioritised as a part of peacebuilding efforts and a comprehensive peace process in Yemen.
Find out more about our work on Yemen and climate here.
Introductory remarks by Andrew Gilmour, Executive Director, Berghof Foundation.
Panel discussion with
- Helen Lackner, Visiting Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations; Research Associate, SOAS
Maha Al-Salehi, Researcher at Holm Akhdar
- Omar Mohammed Ben Shihab, General Director of Public Authority for Environmental Protection in Wadi Hadhramawt
- Abdulmalek Alghazali, Director Public Authority for Environmental Protection in Sana'a
Moderated by Katharina Jautz, Project Manager, Berghof Foundation and Calum Humphreys, Junior Project Manager, Berghof Foundation.
50 Years Berghof Foundation
The Berghof Foundation marked its 50th anniversary in 2021. The special event series we were holding throughout the year to reflect on past and current peacebuilding successes and challenges, is continuing in the year 2022. The events will identify and look at trends in order to develop tactics that will ensure our efforts towards sustainable peace together with our partners remain effective in the years to come. Find out more on our website and sign up for our newsletters or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date about our anniversary programme.
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