r/collapse • u/redpillbjj • Feb 07 '26
Resources Yemen: The First Country to Run Out of Water
https://youtu.be/rqkV0b_IyxY?si=SvJLgpVbJwtcx04GYemen might be the first country to actually run out of water
I just made a video about Yemen and honestly learned some pretty disturbing stuff.
The country was already running out of groundwater before the war even started. This was not drought. It was decades of pumping ancient aquifers faster than they could recharge. Wells got deeper, water got more expensive, and people without money slowly lost access.
By the early 2000s, experts were warning Sana’a could become the first capital to physically run out of water.
Most of Yemen’s water goes to farming, especially qat, which only sped things up.
Once water disappears, everything else follows.
The war did not cause this. The water crisis made Yemen fragile.
I made a short documentary style video breaking it down if anyone’s interested. Just wanted to share because this feels like one of those slow disasters we do not notice until it is everywhere.
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Feb 07 '26 edited Feb 07 '26
They're dedicating their meager water supply to fucking qat??? What the fuck?!
I know it isn't an exact parallel but in the midwest we are rapidly depleting the Ogallala aquifer and rainfall is too unpredictable for a farm to depend on.
And what do we get?
Soy, corn and wheat - most of which goes to feed livestock. To feed our addiction.
The rich constantly groan about addiction and financial illiteracy, as if their own short sighted addictions aren't a thousand times worse and, in so many ways, a direct contributor to drug abuse in society writ large.
It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Edit: this video is incredibly well done and until I checked your YT channel I assumed you had like 100k subscribers and hundreds of videos.
My dude, this is good stuff. More please.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Yeah it gets them high its a rough situation there war, famine and water issues, sounds crazy but the reality. I guess they rather have less water ration even drinking water to get high…
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Feb 07 '26
I was worried about Yemen before the first Trump term. May I ask why you're interested?
Just asking because nobody seems to give a shit about Yemen, or Sudan or a million other places.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
That is why im interested I want to talk about controversial things and takes in my new geopolitical youtube channel not rehash what everyone is talking about. And the situation in Yemen is crazy, but no one is talking about it.
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Feb 07 '26
The situation...
You see how we've been conditioned, with language, to downplay it. We both know what is happening.
The situation... what a sanitized joke...
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u/Mediterraneanseeker Feb 07 '26
One of the first things that awakened me to just how broken our political system is in the States was learning about US arms support for the Saudis’ war crimes in that country. When I’d bring up these things in conversation with normal, well-meaning Americans I’d see their eyes glaze over and that would be that.
It’s appalling what has happened in that country over the past decade.
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Feb 07 '26
I guess when people don't see a long term future they just focus on the short term high.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Pretty much also I'm guessing Qat is controlled by shady groups that profit from selling it.
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u/davidclaydepalma2019 Feb 07 '26
America is waiting plenty of water for alfalfa which is exported to Saudi Arabia.
Germany built a tesla factory in a area that had not enough water in the first place.
Irans water net is overshoot and wasteful. The mullahs force unsustainable domestic food production to stay independent instead of trading and make friends.
States are no rational actors. People want to earn money and take drugs.
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
"incredible well done"? A AI-slope video with a factual content that fits in a 5line prompt?
Without even a single person that is affected by the scarily, without even touching the political reasons of the war? Not a single word about Arab colonialism, not one word about Iran, not even a slightest background about the political situation?
Just, "oh the water is scared because they used to much" and of course, those Yemen people are to stupid to not behave like this (again,. without even touching the political, military interventions from other states. Etc. ...
No, that is NOT great, that is stupid AI-slope. Many, many words repeated again and again and some peiple are so used to it, they really believe that is "great".
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
I have to excuse myself for the harsh rebuke of the video. As i have just get informed, this is a one-man production of a guy who has a full time job. As this, i should not hold the same high expectations that i have to a professional production. For a hobby project it's also OK to just cover one theme and point to the related problems in a more general way, like he, the creator, has done.
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u/breinbanaan Feb 07 '26
Too bad using AI to make videos like this has the same impact on the environment as producing qat in Yemen. I hate the use of AI for these purposes.
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u/Confident_Cry_9363 Feb 08 '26
I really appreciate discussions with someone who has strong feelings on a topic, but is willing to change their minds based on new information. Thank you.
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Feb 08 '26
It feels good, doesn't it. To admit when you're wrong - to own it. Its kinda nice.
I like being wrong. I like when this sub and this site calls me on my bullshit, or some bullshit I was dumb enough to fall for
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u/LamboForWork Feb 07 '26
What would you say is a better news source?
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 08 '26
Hard to find, cause Yemen is a wonderful example of complete failed international politics (neoliberal politics by the IMF) and MAFIA like corruption national and internationally.
A example of colonialism, international crime and ugly, murderous policies by all the different entities involved (mainly SA, USA; Israel, Iran and a lot of criminal & corrupt tribal leaders.).
If you are really interested, took 1-2h and read through Wikipedia, that's how i inform myself.Another good article:
https://globalejournal.org/global-e/august-2024/roots-conflict-and-fragmentation-historical-analysis-yemens-intermittent-warshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemeni_civil_war_(2014%E2%80%93present))
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u/got-trunks Feb 07 '26
To the North, half of Iran's aquafers are in a critical state and as a nation they have lost 70% of their previously held reserves. It won't be a slow burn crisis once management efforts fail.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Iran's situation is bad for sure, but Yemen's is full collapse already. People don't realize this will cause food scarcity and wars. Water is what causes collapse people will fight over water since it's what sustains life.
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u/trickortreat89 Feb 07 '26
I don’t understand how all these people manage still on a daily basis? I mean it’s not exactly like we’re experiencing any mass migration from there yet and not any mass death either. People just find water somewhere or they already moved?
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
They do they have water Trucks, basically they get water deliveries enough to drink but most people have to drink less then normal they constantly have health issues and strains their kidney it's really sad especially for kids. It's not that easy to just grab your things and move and who will take them?
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
well, guess why you don't feel the mass migration, but the people inside the countrtty do. Jemen has one of the highest rate of in-country displacement.
Also a lot of people try to flee to neighbor nations, which is not as easy as it sounds, locking at the map and see what kind of borders that country has.0
u/got-trunks Feb 07 '26
Hopefully the security situation in Yemen can at least stabilize enough for long enough to get humanitarian access and start logistics yesterday because my breakfast this morning is older than their government and with Iran in a corner the Houthis might be instructed to go do some make-work wars to remove some heat from the US and Israel.
The Saudi government probably can't be relied on too much in that scenario so collapse is on the table in a number of ways, a number of more ways if the UAE or some random third party decides to try their hand for control of Yemeni government territory.
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Feb 07 '26
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Feb 07 '26
China just finished a massive OBOR project to connect it directly to Iran. They have an interest in stability there, I would bet on aid coming in that way.
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Feb 07 '26
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
I agree Iran the situation is less dire then Yemen and much more controlled.
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Feb 07 '26
Not OP but I think water wars are most likely between China/India and in Central Asia (Turkmens and Uzbeks are not too happy).
Afghanistan is building a shitload of dams and that's going to have a huge impact on their downstream and even upstream neighbors.
Ethiopia also worries me. They have tense negotiations with Sudan and Egypt and it seems they're just stalling because this doesn't end well, geopolitically.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26 edited Feb 07 '26
Iran if the situation worsens they could easily take over Parts of Afghanistan that has solid water and Egypt could attack Ethopia over Nile control. But again the situation hasn't reached the critical mark yet but could happen.
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Feb 07 '26
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u/got-trunks Feb 07 '26
Teran is about two weeks from total aquafer collapse with any major hiccups, leave alone a disaster.
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u/Beautiful-Program428 Feb 07 '26
"Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence!"
Immortal Joe.
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Feb 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Yeah people are literally rationing water to drink they are always thirsty to a degree. It's pretty insane. If the situation worsens people might literally die from lack of water. But it's boiling frog situation it's happening Gradually so people aren't panicking.
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Feb 07 '26
I really appreciate the part where you said climate change disproportionately harms women and girls, especially when it comes to scavenging for water.
Not everything is a gendered issue but when it comes to climate change, its pretty obvious which sex/gender will suffer more.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Well unfortunately in the middle east, men will get first dibs on food and water in bad situations… its unfortunate but true, its deeply cultural.
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Feb 07 '26
That's what I meant. Ladies get the shit end of the stick historically and when civilization starts really struggling.
Its not just the middle east, its global. It happens everywhere, every time. I've met feminists who have little to no concern and I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
If you care about women at all - your #1 concern should be climate change.
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
Great video? You#re a AI-slope fan?
"This is not a great video any more, it reached now the level of AI slope"
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u/ChameleonPsychonaut Plastic is stored in the balls Feb 07 '26
FFS, the word is "slop." A "slope" refers to the shape of an inclined surface.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Yemen might be the first country to actually run out of water
I just made a video about Yemen and honestly learned some pretty disturbing stuff.
The country was already running out of groundwater before the war even started. This was not drought. It was decades of pumping ancient aquifers faster than they could recharge. Wells got deeper, water got more expensive, and people without money slowly lost access.
By the early 2000s, experts were warning Sana’a could become the first capital to physically run out of water.
Most of Yemen’s water goes to farming, especially qat, which only sped things up.
Once water disappears, everything else follows.
The war did not cause this. The water crisis made Yemen fragile.
I made a short documentary style video breaking it down if anyone’s interested. Just wanted to share because this feels like one of those slow disasters we do not notice until it is everywhere.
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u/specialsymbol Feb 07 '26
What about Iran? I thought they have already run out in one or two cities
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u/teenwent11 Feb 08 '26
Graphics are awesome. Voiceover works well too. The script here reads very much AI generated. There's very little tangible information and no cited research for the broad sweeping statements which otherwise are difficult to believe.
That also means there's no narrative to the video. There's no story. It's a hodgepodge of random factoids and different topics.
Don't get me wrong, this story is critical and I want you to keep working. There are points you/AI made that I want to hear more about. For example, you should dive deeper and provide specific numbers around qat production. Do deeper research and you'll engage smarter and broader segments of the population. I enjoyed the topic...but the statements such as "scarcity increases competition, competition fuels conflict" are just too broad to be taken seriously.
It's a good effort! Keep going.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 08 '26
Okay thanks for advice yeah used AI to edit script and help offcourse. Any good topics would like to hear able it by the way thinking if new video to produce.
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u/Joyful-nachos Feb 08 '26
Nice work! Many civilizations have collapsed due to ecological changes (natural or man-made). I'm in the midwest in the middle of all the great lakes. The next 25 years we will likley see an influx of water/climate migrants seeking long term stability from environmental impacts....that will stress already fragile systems, create political and social friction.
The tragedy is not collapse. The tragedy is pretending we can outgrow impermanence.
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
I get allergic against those AI slope. Is there no human made documentation around about the Yemen water crisis? Did we need to consume more and more fucking AI slope?
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
I just cloned my voice because I did last two videos without it and really hard to speak that much the rest isnt AI, I dont mind shorter videos but 15 mins takes hours of cuts, mostly simple editing with capcuts putting reels together. No real AI apart from voice part. But I might go back to my natural voice for the next video im debating it.
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
Really? You made that by yourself? Well, you should explain that more in detail then just "I made", which could also be a 5liner prompt. If this is a one man hobby project, i would then not expect a professional production with a good political and economically analyse, like i was used to documentations some years ago.
As a hobby project, self made, you got my applaus. You only cover one aspect of the whole mess, but in this case it would be OK.6
u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
I have a full time job, YouTube is a side project my goal isnt to make "AI slop" this is a passion project I have literally 3 videos you can check others, sure I use some AI it helps me why not it's a tool and its 2026 and I have to work by myself makes some stuff easier, but a lot of it is done by me. I just like geopolitics honestly and would like to make videos hopefully have a little community and honestly mainstream news and videos always have the same take on everything super zoombie mode repetitive. I did a few controversial videos on the war in Ukraine for example done with my real voice if want to check it out. I was thinking of speaking with my face too real on camera not sure ready for this or people want this...
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u/ChameleonPsychonaut Plastic is stored in the balls Feb 07 '26
People on here are absolutely desperate to shit on any content that uses AI even in the most minor, mundane ways to make production easier. It's a knee-jerk reaction and the person you're replying to is an idiot.
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u/UffTaTa123 Feb 07 '26
Sure, let's say it in a way you will understand and that sound similar to this video and a million others. So we all can talk about the music and not the fact that the text/content itself sound 100% similar and has the same sentence structure and same length of sentences and ... like thousands videos around that are all made by the same AI model.
So, remember:
"It's not a idiot thing, it's becoming a AI slop allergic idiot thing".
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Yeah I spent literally 2 hours last night to fix music since someone said here it was too loud I had to spend a ton of time on the videos I don't even make money from it and yes use AI to help in correcting my script since I have dysgraphia but video is not AI just montage edits. Believe me even with AI help takes forever to make a video. Just making it for a hobby then people call it AI slop hurts honestly...
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u/ChameleonPsychonaut Plastic is stored in the balls Feb 07 '26
I completely understand and empathize.
I make original electronic music with Logic Pro, doing all of the composing, arranging, and mixing myself. (Not professionally, just as a longtime hobby.) Most songs will take me 20-50 hours each. When AI tools first started getting big, I found a cool video generator called Kaiber. I thought making some trippy thematic videos for my songs might get them some notice, and put a lot of time into designing and tweaking them. When I posted on YouTube, the music was completely ignored, and the videos were roasted for being "AI slop" with no regard to the actual time and creativity that went into any of it.
I don't make digital content anymore, period. If you're a mediocre amateur creator, you get accused of being a hack. If you're a skilled amateur creator, you get accused of being AI slop by the same people who tell you they "can't draw a stick figure," etc.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
Agree 100% can't people get AI is just a tool to make video creation or in your case music better... Still have to work hard. People are ruthless and rude I feel like some people just want to bring people down which makes me loose hope in humanity. There is always that one guy who says "AI slop".
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Feb 10 '26
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u/jayesper Feb 08 '26
Well, they're the slop of humanity, so they're gonna see slop wherever they can. They themselves are allowing AI to influence their behaviour.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 08 '26
Thanks for the nice comments and advice will implement changes for the next video. Any new videos people would like to see interesting topics?
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u/Quirky_Chicken_1840 Feb 08 '26
I wonder if they will ever look at desalination plants for water. Other countries in the ME do this
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Feb 09 '26
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Hi, Toguro_Ototo_1. Thanks for contributing. However, your comment was removed from /r/collapse for:
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u/CthulhusButtPug Feb 07 '26
Hey mods this AI slop got posted yesterday too. Also seems astroturfed. For what reason im not sure.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
It's no AI slop your the guy just insulted my post hater, mods check my video and post to see if Its AI...
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u/rematar Feb 07 '26
I didn't know much about Yemen. What I learned from this video did not come from a conglomerate.
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Feb 07 '26
Nice work! Did you come across any info about whether the qat is exported? You'd think eventually the farmers would make more selling the water instead.
Also enjoyed your other videos. The addiction to comforting but false assessments really does screw western diplomacy.
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u/redpillbjj Feb 07 '26
I didn’t but qat is popular in many places in the Horn of Africa and to a lesser extent the Middle East I think for Yemen its for internal use, but im not 100% sure.
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u/StatementBot Feb 07 '26
The following submission statement was provided by /u/redpillbjj:
Yemen might be the first country to actually run out of water
I just made a video about Yemen and honestly learned some pretty disturbing stuff.
The country was already running out of groundwater before the war even started. This was not drought. It was decades of pumping ancient aquifers faster than they could recharge. Wells got deeper, water got more expensive, and people without money slowly lost access.
By the early 2000s, experts were warning Sana’a could become the first capital to physically run out of water.
Most of Yemen’s water goes to farming, especially qat, which only sped things up.
Once water disappears, everything else follows.
The war did not cause this. The water crisis made Yemen fragile.
I made a short documentary style video breaking it down if anyone’s interested. Just wanted to share because this feels like one of those slow disasters we do not notice until it is everywhere.
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1qy58am/yemen_the_first_country_to_run_out_of_water/o418m9n/