-says Deputy Min. Brunson
Liberia continues to demonstrate its commitment to climate change at all levels, pledging its dedication to tackling climate change-related interventions during the launch of its report last weekend.
Monday, March 25, 2024: Deputy Minister of Budget Madam Tanneh Brunson says the government is totally dedicated to tackling climate change-related interventions through a paradigm shift.
She disclosed at the launch of Liberia Country Climate Development Report organized by the World Bank Group on Friday, March 22, 2024, held at the Monrovia City Hall
According to Hon. Brunson, to address climate change, practical actions must shift development planning towards integrating climate financing, risks, and coordination. These actions include developing the County Development Agenda (CDAs) for all fifteen climate-smart and sensitive counties, which will feed into the New National Development Plan from 2025 to 2029.
She noted that mainstreaming climate considerations within development planning & budgeting processes will improve the country's early warning, emergency preparedness, and disaster response systems.
However, preparing climate finance and a policy framework to facilitate readiness for Green financing are key to investing in health and sanitation to reduce solid waste and health-related diseases.
We will also work with partners to prioritize forestry communities through sustainable forestry management, improving governance and regulation of mining activities, and promoting climate-smart agriculture practices.
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The government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, is engaged in an ongoing discussion with development partners to establish a climate change finance office within the Department of Budget.
"As a driver of the country's national development planning process, fiscal planning, budgeting, and the allocation of resources across various sectors, it is prudent to establish a climate change finance office" she asserted.
For his part, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Mr. Robert R. Taliercio, said the Bank is ready to work in partnership with the government to address critical sections from the reports on land, forestry, power, infrastructure development, carbon capture, and other crucial sectors are essential to Liberia's development and protection against climate change.
According to him, the report's analysis clearly shows that poverty in Liberia would rise if the government didn't target climate change intervention, which has had a serious negative impact on the nation's economy, agriculture, and other vital industries and raised the likelihood of a national calamity.
He noted that the report is timely and critical based on the ongoing crafting of the new National Development Plan strategy.
Climate change seriously threatens the peace and prosperity of Liberia, the oldest country in Africa. Liberia has navigated a challenging path to stability while dealing with health issues, civil unrest, and economic instability. The climatic issue is not confined to a single era in Liberia's development narrative. Global warming has long-lasting effects that get worse over time.
