Buchanan, Liberia, 3 December 2024 (ECA) - With the support of ECA and Liberia’s UN Country Team, experts from Liberia’s climate-sensitive economic sectors convened in Buchanan, Liberia on 2-3 December 2024 to develop a new generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0).
Since 2019, the Africa Climate Policy Centre - ACPC in collaboration with regional institutions, the NDC hub and the NDC partnerships, has embarked on a structured process to assist member states in revising their NDCs. The ongoing support has been demand-led and includes revision and updating of the existing NDCs. Although the specific areas of support vary from country to country, the cross-cutting thread has been consultations among stakeholder groups representing all sectors impacted by climate change.
In her opening remarks, UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Christine Umutoni, noted that the year 2025 is the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and marks a critical moment in the collective fight against climate change. Countries are expected to submit revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that outline their sovereign commitment to climate action under the Paris Agreement.
She observed that the UN Secretary-General has stated that ambitious NDCs are a key priority for the UN system, and NDCs are high on the political agendas of the G20, G7, African Union, and other major political dialogues. As such, stressed Umutoni, “the next two years stand as one of the best chances we have as an international community to ensure warming stays under 1.5°.”
Ms. Umutoni called for “bold NDCs that can usher in the green transition and integrate climate with national development priorities, plans, and investments; the national ownership of NDCs gives countries the power to transition an economy, meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Over 30 national sectoral focal points participated in the workshop and were joined by UNDP, private sector, academia and ECA climate change experts. The national leads made presentations on adaptation and mitigation policy, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU), freshwater ecosystems and carbon market mechanism and their inclusion and role in enhancing the ambition of the new NDC.
On ECA’s behalf, Mr. Frank Rutabingwa recalled past support that ECA provided to Liberia through the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia - EPA, which started with support in the development of Liberia’s first Climate change response strategy and action plan. ECA then assisted in developing Liberia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) leading to COP15, Liberia’s first NDC, training of media reporting on climate change and the current kickstarting of the NDC 3.0 revision.
“ECA will continue to support EPA in climate change to enhance Liberia's capacity to build a resilient economy that facilitates sustainable development,” said Rutabingwa.
Mr. Benjamin S. Karmorh, Jr, Liberia’s Chief Technical Advisor and UNFCCC Focal Point made opening remarks on behalf of Emmanuel Yarkpawolo, Executive Director/CEO, Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA). Mr. Karmorh underscored the importance of addressing the global climate crisis, stressing that Liberia is ranked among the ten most vulnerable countries in the world and that climate change is impacting the country’s development agenda. He recalled ECA’s financial and technical support to the Government of Liberia through the EPA in developing the INDC, climate change response strategy and its first NDC.
Mr. Karmorh said Liberia’s NDC 2.0 “was ambitious in seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64%, which is below the projected business-as-usual level by 2030 based on conditional and unconditional measures.” He noted that the formulation of NDC 2.0 was “an inclusive, consultative and transparent process. Issues of gender, youth and the differently abled played an important role during the national consultation.”
On the issue of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Mr. Karmorh informed the participants that the EPA was working with relevant national stakeholders “to develop a rule-based mechanism that would guide Liberia’s carbon market with the objective of reducing emissions and driving economic development.”
Mr. Karmorh acknowledged the role of ECA and UNDP in facilitating Liberia’s climate change strategy and action plan and assured the development institutions of EPA’s commitment to mainstreaming climate action in the development agenda of the country’s Agriculture, Roads, Education, Sanitation & Tourism (ARREST) agenda for inclusive development.