Liberia: Government Launches Country’s National Adaption Plan

The Government of Liberia through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the National Adaption Plan Global Network, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with funding from the Green Climate Fund, will on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 launch Liberia’s National Adaption Plan (NAP) and Adaptation Communication (AdCom).

Liberia’s National Adaptation Plan is intended to help Liberia tackle the issue of climate change through a sound adaptation program that involves a whole of society approach to achieve the goal, vision and specific objectives.

It was developed through a consultative multi-stakeholder process and informed by sectoral climate vulnerability and risk assessments, and the disaster risk assessment.

The NAP focuses on six sectors that are priorities of the Government of Liberia in its efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change: agriculture, coastal zones, forestry, energy, waste management and fisheries.

According to a release from the EPA, Wednesday’s launch is intended to increase awareness among sub-national decision makers, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and citizens in vulnerable communities on the adaptation priorities in the NAP document.

It will further showcase Liberia’s first national Adaptation Communication (AdComs) closely, following the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP-26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

At the launch of the NAPs and AdComs government officials, sector representatives and stakeholders involved in the NAP will convene to formulate ideas and discuss concrete actions for implementation and resilience building, as well as the next steps to follow the launch of both documents.

These activities, according to the release will provide the Government of Liberia with opportunity to facilitate and take ownership of national adaptation priorities, to signal accelerated progress in adaptation in Liberia – including the country’s readiness to move from national adaptation planning to implementation – and to provide synergies.

The program is expected to bring together heads of line ministries and agencies as well as local government including the district and municipalities and local organizations.

Representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and private sector actors operating in Liberia, as well as development partners, donors and media are expected to attend the gathering slated to take place at a local hotel in Monrovia.