Author: Environment protection agency Republic of Liberia
Site of the publication: EPA
Type of publication: Report
Date of the publication: July 2021
Background
The government has shown leadership in addressing climate change issues as demonstrated through its submission of an Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) in 2015, now the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) following the country’s ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2018. The 2015 NDC aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% below business-as-usual levels by 2030 with a long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, conditional upon international support.
It also highlighted the crucial role of adaptation in ensuring the resilience of the country’s communities and natural systems. The government continues to show such leadership as demonstrated through the development and subsequent submission of this revised NDC in fulfillment of its commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Liberia’s revised NDC addresses nine (9) key sectors Agriculture, Forests, Coastal zones, Fisheries, Health, Transport, Industry, Energy, and Waste as well as cross-cutting targets for urban green corridors. The development of Liberia’s NDC was informed by a joint analysis of existing and proposed sectors for updating Liberia’s NDC, a more detailed assessment of mitigation and adaptation measures, improved information, and data, as well as increased stakeholder consultation and participation. It presents a platform to integrate Liberia’s Low Carbon Development Strategy into the country’s medium-term development agenda (PAPD) as well as its long-term sustainable development vision by 2030.
Policy and Legal Frameworks
The Government of Liberia is committed to tackling climate change challenges through several national policies and strategic interventions. An overview of some key national policies related to development priorities and climate change mitigation and adaptation are outlined below:
Liberia Rising Vision 2030: Liberia’s Vision 2030 is an overarching vision of the government of Liberia to direct the country to a developed society which includes a range of Pillars, Sector Goals, Strategic Objectives and Outcome Indicators, which together support the development of adaptation and mitigation capacity in Liberia.
National Environmental Policy (2003): Liberia formulated a national environmental policy to recognize the severe impact of human activities on all components of the natural environment, especially the influences of population dynamics, high density urbanization, and resource exploitation, as well as recognize the critical importance of restoring and maintaining environmental quality for the welfare and development of the people. The aim of the National Environmental Policy is to ensure the improvement of the physical environment, the quality of life of the people, and the economic and social living conditions of the entire citizenry.
Youth Dialogue
The Youth Dialogue was held on September 16, 2020, in Gompa City, Nimba County. This meeting brought together over thirty-five (35) youth organizations across Liberia, including the Federation of Liberian Youth; Mano River Union Youth Parliament Liberia Chapter; West African Youth Network, Liberia; Tubman University Volunteer Movement (TUVM); Liberia National Students’ Union; Youth Climate Change Initiative- Liberia; ECOWAS Youth Commission; Liberia Girl’s Guide; African Youth with Disabilities Liberia Chapter; among others. The Youth Dialogue produced the “Ganta Declaration” which commits the youth population of Liberia to remaining engaged in throughout the NDC development and implementation process. Since the signing of this Declaration, the Youth community of Liberia remained fully engaged throughout the NDC revision process through their representatives whose valuable participations and inputs contributed to the development of Liberia’s revised NDC.
Gender Dialogue
The National Gender Dialogue was held under the theme “Women leading for climate action; a catalyst for Liberia’s NDC ambition” from October 27-28, 2020, in Gompa City, Nimba County. The goal was to incorporate gender inclusiveness in Liberia’s NDC for an effective and efficient implementation. The main objectives included to champion the advancement of women’s economic empowerment and participation in the revision process of Liberia’s NDC; ensure that women remain an integral part of Liberia’s NDC revision process; and ensure inclusiveness in environmental planning and decision-making through capacity building for women owned enterprises to enable their integration of are into the mainstream economic activity, environmental and climate change discussion and decision-making.
Private Sector
The Private sector dialogue targeted all private sector institutions, Liberian businesses, non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), media houses, all groups and associations, manufacturers, individuals, etc. involved one way or the other into private businesses in Liberia. During this dialogue, the private sector actors agreed to join the government and other partners in their efforts of NDC revision process, and also help to mitigate the impacts of climate change; to become an active partner in adaptation efforts as they have the potential to bolster government’s efforts and complement adaptation measurers to help in climate change risk management; and to integrate adaptation measures into their strategies and investments in at risk sectors such as agriculture, tourism and energy, to make their investments and returns less risky and ultimately more profitable.
At the end of the workshop, a general commitment to forge a new alliance with the government was made, with all participating institutions encourage to forge a public private partnership with the government and other partners to address the impacts of climate change and seek sustainable solutions that deliver a win-win outcome for the government, communities, and businesses in Liberia and to be a part of the Liberia’s NDC.
Mitigation
Liberia commits to reducing its economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 64% below the projected business-as-usual level by 2030, through a combination of the following: unconditional GHG reductions of 10% below BAU, resulting in an absolute emissions level of 11,187Gg CO2e in 2030; with an additional 54% reduction conditional upon international support, which would result in an absolute emissions level of 4,536.64 Gg CO2e in 2030. To achieve this target, the country has included additional sectors to those previously included in the 2015 NDC. Table 1.0 provides details on the sectors, their proposed targets, as well as mitigation actions and policy measures to achieve the stated targets.
The extent of implementation and achievement of the targets as proposed in this updated NDC are mainly conditioned upon the provision of adequate means of implementation (financial resources, capacity building and technology transfer, etc.) by the international community. This condition does not, however, constitute an international obligation to Liberia. The government is also committed to unconditionally support the implementation and achievement of Liberia’s overall targets through other financial mechanisms including the traditional budgetary allocation to the environment sector.
The government is further committed, through several national programs and policies, including the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) strategy, to reducing GHG emissions levels in line with its target. In demonstration of its commitment, the country has already submitted its forest reference emissions level to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and aims to, among other things, achieve its Vision 2030 through a low- carbon, climate-resilient development pathway through the implementation and periodic updating of key national and climate change policies and action plans to achieve its targets.