Middle East Conflict Zones Excluded From Climate Finance — Aid Groups

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Norwegian Red Cross have jointly released a report on Thursday highlighting the vulnerability of conflict-plagued nations in the Middle East to the impacts of climate change.

The report focuses on Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, emphasizing that the combination of climate change and armed conflict has significantly intensified humanitarian challenges in these regions.

The aid groups demand greater assistance and increased financing to address the pressing climate-related issues.

The report reveals that the Climate Funds Update database, which compiles information from various international funds, has approved only 19 projects for funding in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen as of January 2022.

The total amount disbursed for these projects amounts to a mere $20.6 million, which is less than 0.5 per cent of the global expenditure on climate projects.

This lack of substantial financing excludes the most fragile and unstable areas from receiving essential climate-related support, as stated in the report.