Monrovia — ActionAid Liberia has convened civil society organizations, government officials, youth groups, traditional leaders, and development partners to discuss strategies for mobilizing domestic resources to finance renewable energy and address climate change challenges in Liberia.
The dialogue, held in Monrovia, focused on identifying ways to close Liberia's climate financing gap amid declining donor support, while strengthening national efforts to combat climate-related impacts on the economy and environment.
Speaking at the event, John Forkpa Kannah, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Coordinator and In-Country Facilitator for climate change within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the dialogue was timely as climate change continues to disrupt Liberia's economy.
According to Mr. Kannah, climate change has been identified globally as a major threat to development, and Liberia--being a signatory to international climate agreements--has been working at both national and international levels to mitigate its effects.
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"We have recently submitted Liberia's third Nationally Determined Contribution, which is our latest action plan to address climate change," Kannah said. "In that document, Liberia commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 64 percent. To achieve this, we must mobilize resources both domestically and externally."
Mr. Kannah further disclosed that Liberia has developed a renewable energy strategy aimed at mobilizing domestic financing for clean energy generation. He noted that work is currently ongoing at the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant to install solar power systems to complement existing energy sources.
"For us as a country, this will help address our energy crisis while reducing our carbon footprint," he added. "Energy is critical--it enhances security, promotes development, and positions Liberia on the path toward becoming a middle-income country."
Also speaking at the event, Moses Kollie, Co-Chair of the NGO Coalition of Liberia, emphasized that climate change knows no boundaries and affects all people regardless of location or background.
"It is important that all stakeholders come together to find ways to mitigate the impact of climate change," Kollie said. "Most climate financing has come from external partners. With the reduction in donor funding, we must now explore how to generate domestic revenue to meet the targets outlined in our national climate commitments."
Meanwhile, Norwu Kolu Harris, Climate Justice Lead at ActionAid Liberia, described the dialogue as central to advancing climate justice and sustainable development in the country.
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"Liberia is richly endowed with natural resources, yet weak governance in the extractive sector, limited incentives, and illicit financial flows continue to deprive the country of critical domestic revenue," Harris said.
She revealed that ActionAid Liberia's monitoring of the extractive sector shows that over US$160 million was lost through input tax waivers between 2018 and 2023, significantly undermining Liberia's ability to finance public services, climate adaptation initiatives, and inclusive development.
"These losses directly affect our capacity to support our climate agenda and meet the needs of our people," she added.
