Yemeni City Looks to Ancient Past to Survive Climate Change

Fishermen launch their boat as they head out to fish in the Gulf of Aden, in Aden, Yemen, on February 24, 2022. (Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies)

For thousands of years, a network of aqueducts and basins helped Yemen's port city of Aden cope with both floods and drought. Today, plastic bags, drinks cans and makeshift shacks clog the ancient channels.

But as global warming fuels extreme weather in the climate-vulnerable nation, city officials say restoring the Tawila Cisterns to their former glory could help guarantee water supplies during dry spells and avert floods in the rainy season.