Already suffering from a heavy conflict, Yemen is on the brink of another humanitarian and environmental disaster.
Less than five miles (10 km) from the Yemeni coast is the FSO Safer. An aging tanker whose structural integrity is on the brink of collapse, the Safer is a ticking time bomb that risks spilling massive amounts of crude oil into the Red Sea.
It is not a question of if, but when the FSO Safer will fail. Built in 1976 as an oil tanker, the Safer was converted a decade later to a floating oil storage and offloading (FSO) unit. The 376-meter-long (1,233-foot) vessel contains more than a million barrels of light crude oil. But it has not been properly maintained for years due to the war in yemen.
The human rights, environmental and economic impacts of a major Safer spill would be catastrophic. Fishing communities on Yemen’s Red Sea coast, more than two million people, would be devastated. Two hundred thousand means of subsistence could instantly disappear. Entire communities would be exposed to dangerous substances that threaten life.
A major oil spill could also close the nearby ports of Hodeidah and Saleef, which are essential for bringing food, fuel and vital supplies to a country where 19 million people need food assistance.
In addition, the biodiversity of the Red Sea would suffer serious to damage. The disaster would have a severe environmental impact on the water, reefs, fish and mangroves that support life. Increased deaths and illnesses would threaten marine life, and the toxicity could contaminate water, beaches, and sediments. The cleanup alone would cost up to $20 billion.
Disruptions to shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Suez Canal could cost billions more every day. Consider the immense economic loss when the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal.
The impacts of a major spill would violate the rights to life, health and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment of the affected populations. Faced with such risks, states must act proactively to avert this impending disaster.
In addition to the serious impacts on human rights, the economy and the environment, the Safer threat highlights the excessive dependence of the world economy on fossil fuels and the problems related to climate change.
The humanitarian, environmental and economic effects would extend beyond Yemen and affect the entire region. A large oil spill would also damage Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia.
And yet there is a way to prevent this impending disaster. After years of debate, the United Nations developed a coordinated operational plan plan to deal with the threat.
The plan consists of two concurrent tracks: installing a long-term replacement for the decrepit tanker within 18 months and transferring the oil to a secure temporary vessel for four months. Both the Safer and the temporary vessel would remain in place until all the oil is transferred to a permanent replacement vessel. The Safer would then be towed to a shipyard and sold for salvage.
This plan seems to have the necessary support from the parties to the conflict and from the main stakeholders. But the success of the plan depends on funding.
The clock is ticking. By October, strong winds and volatile currents will make the operation more dangerous and increase the risk of the ship breaking apart.
On May 11, the Netherlands and the UN will jointly host a commitment event in The Hague in support of this UN-coordinated plan. Tens of millions of dollars in financing now will save tens of billions of dollars in the future.
Yemen is already suffering from the devastation of war and famine. Just off your coast is an imminent threat of more disasters. The country, its people and the surrounding ecosystems are at risk. Fundamental human rights are threatened. However, with the necessary funding, a plan can be put in place right now.
Donors must commit their support before the climate window for transferring oil closes and risks increase. Continuing to wait could result in the catastrophe the world is so close to avoiding.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.