Yemen is particularly vulnerable to climate change and variability impacts because of its water dependence and current high levels of water stress. This natural resource challenge is compounded by demographic pressure, weak governance and institutions, and by a deteriorating economic situation. The economic and social outlook is not bright, and planning and international support will certainly be needed to help Yemen to adapt to the further stresses caused by climate change and variability. In the light of these challenges, the government has developed a National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA). In support of this, the World Bank commissioned a series of studies of climate change in two phases: the first phase projected climate change scenarios for Yemen, and phase two assessed climate change impacts on the agricultural and water sectors, and outlined possible policy and program responses. The present study is essentially a digest of the work done to date, and is intended as a contribution to Government's process of assessing vulnerability and adaptation options by: (i) assessing possible impacts on the water balance and on agriculture and rural livelihoods
and (ii) reviewing adaptation options and the priorities for government policies, strategies and investments.