Liberia at COP30

National Commitments and the Launch of the Natural Capital Atlas

This year, the 30th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Brazil in Belem, where 194 parties gathered to discuss the current phase of global warming and climate crisis in general. The host Country, Brazil, labelled the event as “Implementation COP” and the “COP of Truth.” This signifies a change of promises into actual action. The twelve-day conference that began on the 10th and ended on the 21^st of November centred on transforming the ambitious targets of previous COPs into real actions and policies. This is after the gradual nature of global ambition amidst the urgent need to respond to climate crisis.

The newly introduced New Financing Goal, which was formally named the New Collective Qualified Goals (NCQG) at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, still experiences a set of difficulties. The 1.3 trillion per year agreed by nations to fund global climate actions in response to the increasing climate crisis seems uncertain. This financing plan is now faced with a massive challenge, especially in a global scenario, as major carbon emitters are now boycotting and withdrawing from climate events and treaties. In this wake, there is a need to restructure its implementation strategy. COP30 is designed to come up with measures that can speed up implementation rather than making pledges.

COP30, A Crucial Moment

The event of this year seems critical, parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) were expected to submit their more ambitious third-generation National Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the upcoming five-year cycle, to meet the target of 1.5 °C of the Paris Agreement. This is at the result of the Global Stocktake report indicated poor progress of countries’ commitments. COP30 appears as a catalyst that increases the intensity of climate action, including robust emission reduction, enabling an adaptation process, and dealing with fossil fuels, whose goal is to convert the promises into real action to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.

 NDCs 3.0, Liberia Commits to Emission Reduction

 Liberia is a party that has been committed since the implementation of the National Determined Contribution (NDCs) by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The country has also managed to submit its ambitious NDCs this year, signifying its determination to address national and global climate crisis. Liberia commits to investing in strategic aspects of its adaptation and mitigation plan.

Mitigation

Liberia provides its NDCs, thus making a promise to modify its policies, effects, and measures to lessen greenhouse gas emissions by 64% by 2035. The Liberian Government will contribute 10 percent of the funding, and 54% will be contributed by international support. Liberia is an extreme donor dependent country. The county relies on foreign aid to implement its developmental agendas. Further, Liberia will invest in renewed energy, slow deforestation (which is one of the main issues of the country), promote climate-responsive agriculture, and develop constructive solutions, including forest and coastal strategies. The coastal areas in Liberia are gradually eroding. This is due to the rise in sea levels, leading to extreme erosion and flooding. Areas such as West Point, New Kru Town and Buchanan are still experiencing high rates of erosion and flooding, and this has led to the displacement of several families as well as the destruction of infrastructure. To deal with such problems, Liberia commits to investing in disaster preparedness by constructing seawalls and improved drainage systems. In its report, the country sought to ensure that its national development goals are in line with its climate plans.

Adaptation

 Adaptation is one of the important elements of Liberia’s NDCs. The country presented major policy measures and actions in its commitments to enhance resiliency in major sectors. The themes of adaptation aim at creating climate-resistant agriculture and infrastructure. The agricultural sector, which is the major contributor to jobs and revenue generator in the country, has been facing a stream of threats brought about by climate change. The government, in reaction to this, plan to set up training centers to farmers on conservation agricultural methods as well as climate resilience practices before 2028. The other important areas covered by its NDCs included the coastal areas, which are prone to the rise of sea level, the health sectors and the fisheries sector. Liberia is inclined to design and deploy green-grey infrastructure in vulnerable coastal regions that may experience sea level rise, and build seawalls in most vulnerable communities, and an ensured 40% health facilitates and schools have climate-resilient WASH, and build 50 climate-smart water infrastructure in vulnerable communities. Another promise of Liberia is related to developing Marine Protection areas and other alternative livelihoods by 2028 by giving aquaculture kits to smallholder fishers to reduce the pressure on marine fishers.  

Means of Implementation

 Liberia is a country that is dependent on foreign aid to implement its development agendas. The nation still faces high poverty rates, poor health, and poor infrastructure. These social and economic factors serve as a major setback in the country’s plan to tackle the effects of climate change. To implement its 3.0 NDCs, Liberia will need reasonable international assistance in the form of grants and concessional loans.

The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)

At COP30, Brazil launched a worldwide financing program, the Tropical Forest Forever Facilities (TFFF). This new project is designed to give out performance payments to Tropical Forest Countries to conserve and restore tropical forests. This initiative is likely to make tropical countries such as Liberia receive funding on preserving forests and biodiversity, through public and private funds on performance-based conservation, where payments are made based on forest protection, deforestation control, and prioritizing the indigenous community.

How Does it Function

 The TFFF will be structured to be an umbrella facility that has two arms. The Tropical Forest Investment Fund will be one of the arms that mobilize and raise funds to make annual installments to the participating TFCs, who will preserve and expand their tropical and sub-tropical forest cover. The Facility will be the other arm that will coordinate the working of the forest cover rewards system of the TFFF.

The TFFF also follows as a massive incentive to Liberia since it is a long-term, guaranteed measure of provision funds to countries that safeguard their forests. It is a very timely move in the case of Liberia. The TFFF can assist in restoring the dignity of the forests in Liberia.

Liberia Launches Liberian Natural Capital Atlas.

The Natural Capital Atlas of Liberia was officially launched by the Government of Liberia, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at COP30 in Belem. In combination with a data-driven tool, this documentary presents the national heritage of Liberia; its rich biodiversity, ecosystem services, and potential tourism investment. The Atlas, which is the first of its kind on Liberia, gives a wide and comprehensive perspective of national heritage of the country, comprising of its rainforests, rivers, the wide variety of wildlife. This documentary was initiated by the leader of the Environmental Protection Agency in Liberia, Dr. Emmanuel K Urey Yarkpawolo, with the help of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Forest Development Authority, and the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism. The Natural Capital Atlas can be used as a crucial instrument of conservation, green development, and climate diplomacy.