CONGO TOWN, Monrovia – As Liberia grapples with the rising impacts of local weather change, the Nationwide Individuals’s Local weather Justice Summit has emerged as a platform for advocating for daring and inclusive local weather motion.
The summit, which introduced collectively civil society leaders, youth actions, environmental advocates, and girls’s teams, highlighted the pressing want for a simply transition that facilities the voices of probably the most weak teams in society.
On the coronary heart of the summit had been discussions on scaling agroecology, rising entry to local weather finance, and empowering native communities to take motion within the struggle in opposition to local weather change.
The panelists additionally expressed their ideas on the outcomes of COP 30, underscoring the challenges and alternatives Liberia faces in securing local weather funds and implementing efficient insurance policies.
Madam Elizabeth Gbah Johnson, Nation Director of ActionAidLiberia, was one of many key audio system on the summit. Reflecting on her expertise at COP 30, she shared her perspective on the significance of framing local weather discussions from a people-centered method.
“What we noticed at COP was an area for intense advocacy, however we additionally acknowledged that the problems round local weather change can now not be addressed from a top-down method,” Johnson stated. “It have to be from the individuals’s perspective, specializing in probably the most weak – ladies, youth, and marginalized communities.”
Johnson emphasised the idea of a simply transition, a key focus at COP 30, explaining that it’s important to make sure that any local weather motion taken is equitable and inclusive. “Once we speak about simply transition, we’re referring to a shift that prioritizes weak teams. It’s not nearly addressing local weather change however making certain that those that are already marginalized are a part of the answer,” she defined.
Youth and Girls’s Empowerment: Bridging the Hole for Local weather Justice
The summit additionally positioned a highlight on youth engagement and the pivotal function that younger individuals play in advocating for local weather justice. Ezekiel Nyanfor, a local weather justice advocate from Nigeria, shared his expertise at COP 30 and his ongoing work with younger individuals throughout Africa.
He identified the significance of integrating youth into local weather decision-making processes, particularly relating to Nationally Decided Contributions (NDCs).
“We can not speak about local weather justice with out involving youth. They’re those who will carry the burden of local weather change sooner or later,” Nyanfor stated.
“At COP 30, I used to be one of many solely youth representatives from Liberia targeted on adaptation, and that’s one thing we have to change. We’d like younger individuals in authorities delegations, working facet by facet with senior negotiators, to make sure that youth voices are heard on the highest ranges.”
Mobilizing Local weather Finance: The Want for Group-Led Approaches
One of many key takeaways from COP 30 discussions was the rising dedication to tripling adaptation funding, with a goal of $120 billion by 2030. Whereas Liberia stands to learn from these funds, specialists are calling for a extra inclusive method that reaches past nationwide governments. Johnson identified that the funding mechanisms ought to prioritize community-led local weather actions, particularly given Liberia’s context as a creating nation.
“There are $120 billion put aside for adaptation, however it’s important that these funds transcend the nationwide degree and attain group teams,” she stated. “ActionAid’s focus has at all times been on community-led initiatives, and we have to be sure that these teams, particularly rural ladies and youth, have the instruments and assist they should entry these funds.”
Whereas a lot of the dialog at COP 30 targeted on the necessity for adaptation funding, Johnson additionally highlighted the significance of aligning local weather finance with gender-responsive insurance policies. “Once we speak about funding, we have to be sure that it addresses gender inequalities and is inclusive of all individuals, particularly these most affected by local weather change,” she defined.
The Promise of Liberia’s Forests: Alternatives within the Tropical Forest Facility Fund
A major alternative mentioned at COP 30 for Liberia was the institution of the Tropical Forest Facility Fund (TFFF), which provides funding for international locations that keep and defend their forests.
Liberia, house to one of many world’s most biodiverse rainforests, is uniquely positioned to learn from these monetary sources, however specialists warn that Liberia should strengthen its institutional frameworks to faucet into these funds.
“The TFFF is a good alternative for Liberia,” stated Sylvia Dorbor, a local weather justice advocate. “Liberia has one of many richest forest sources in Africa, and the world is now prepared to pay for retaining these forests intact. However the problem is that we have to place ourselves as a nation to learn from these alternatives.”
The Street Forward: A Name for Stronger Coordination and Capability Constructing
As Liberia strikes ahead in its local weather motion journey, specialists and advocates agree that robust coordination and capability constructing are key to making sure that the nation can entry worldwide funding and meet its local weather objectives. Dorbor careworn that nationwide possession and political will probably be important in advancing Liberia’s local weather agenda.
“We have to scale back forms relating to local weather finance and be sure that native organizations and youth-led initiatives will not be left behind,” Dorbor stated. “The sources can be found, however we have to place ourselves higher, each on the nationwide and native ranges.”
Waiting for COP 31, Johnson and Nyanfor each known as for continued advocacy for local weather justice and emphasised the significance of partaking youth in shaping Liberia’s local weather insurance policies. “At COP 31, we want clear indicators to trace progress and be sure that the wants of probably the most weak are being met,” Johnson said.
“Liberia’s local weather future is at a crossroads, however with the precise coordination and funding, we are able to construct a extra sustainable and equitable future for all.”
Madam Yunder Butler, the Government Director of the Liberian Rural Girls Group for Local weather Motion, mirrored on her expertise at COP30, emphasizing the importance of know-how switch for local weather adaptation and mitigation in creating international locations.
Butler underscored the significance of empowering ladies, youth, kids, and other people with disabilities to actively take part within the course of, making certain that they don’t seem to be left behind.
“The negotiations at COP30 introduced ahead the institution of a framework for know-how switch, the place creating international locations, together with Liberia, will achieve entry to important applied sciences, with a selected give attention to empowering ladies,” stated Butler. She highlighted the necessity for clear cookstoves—a vital know-how for rural ladies who depend on conventional cooking strategies.
“That is about time that we as civil society individuals guarantee that we have now our personal accreditation to attend these conferences,” she continued, advocating for larger civil society involvement in local weather negotiations. “With correct accreditation, we are able to advocate extra successfully for what ladies and youth in Liberia really want within the context of local weather justice.”
Butler’s remarks had been echoed by Ezekiel, a youth chief, who careworn the significance of creating devoted youth delegations to COP negotiations. “It’s very important that we practice youth from throughout totally different sectors to not solely attend however actively have interaction in local weather discussions on behalf of Liberia,” he stated.
He added that there’s a necessity for youth to achieve data from seasoned negotiators to make sure intergenerational fairness in future local weather methods.
He additionally identified the challenges confronted by negotiators, who, regardless of main essential negotiations on loss and injury, lacked the assist of a devoted staff to seek the advice of with in real-time.
“We’d like extra youth concerned in these processes to allow them to assist form the way forward for our nation’s local weather methods,” he added.
One other panelist, Friday from ECOWAS highlighted how the Simply Transition idea is gaining traction within the area.
“For us at ActionAid, COP30 was a win as a result of the main target shifted towards making certain that youth and girls will not be left behind throughout the power transition course of,” she stated. “The financing mechanisms and funds out there, just like the forestry funds and adaptation financing, must be directed to those that want them most.”
Friday additionally pointed to the important want for multi-country alliances inside West Africa to advocate for insurance policies that align with the area’s local weather priorities.
“We have to converse with one voice on local weather justice points,” she emphasised, noting that regional unity may allow higher mobilization of sources for native communities.
“Governments have made their commitments, however we additionally want residents to carry them accountable,” Friday careworn. “The method provides a possibility for younger individuals and girls to contribute to coverage change in ways in which instantly have an effect on their lives. We have to construct energy, converse reality to energy, and deal with the social injustices which might be prevalent in our communities.”
