Aden — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has released a new policy brief ahead of the Berlin Climate Security Conference, urging world leaders to take immediate action to address the climate crisis in regions devastated by armed conflict. 

The report, titled “Navigating the Climate Crisis in a New Era of Aid,” highlights the severe funding gaps and unequal distribution of climate finance that leave millions in conflict zones exposed to escalating environmental threats.

According to the IRC, 17 countries suffering from both conflict and climate vulnerability—home to just 11% of the global population—account for 70% of humanitarian need and crisis-level food insecurity worldwide. Yemen, which has endured over a decade of war, economic collapse, and climate shocks, is among the hardest-hit nations. The IRC warns that Yemen’s humanitarian lifeline is on the brink, with the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan seeking $2.47 billion to assist 10.5 million people, yet only 5% of that goal has been funded as of March.

David Miliband, President and CEO of the IRC, emphasized the urgency of reform: “Climate finance must be restructured to reach those living at the intersection of conflict and climate crisis. These communities are not just vulnerable—they are being systematically left behind.”

The IRC’s recommendations include:

- Prioritizing climate finance for fragile and conflict-affected states

- Integrating humanitarian and climate response strategies

- Ensuring equitable access to adaptation and resilience funding

The report comes as global leaders prepare for COP30, where climate finance reform is expected to be a central issue. The IRC calls on donor governments and international institutions to recognize the compounded risks faced by countries like Yemen and to act decisively to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.