Liberia's Carbon Wealth At Stake-Cooper Demands Swift Climate Authority

19 February 2026
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Stephen G. Fellajuah

Monrovia — The Chief Executive Officer of the Carbon Markets Authority of Liberia, Jeanine M. Cooper, has called for the urgent establishment of a strong and independent Carbon Climate Authority, describing it as critical to Liberia's economic security and long-term political stability.

Madam Cooper explained that creating such an authority is not merely an administrative formality but a strategic necessity. She noted that a fully operational carbon climate institution would safeguard Liberia's carbon revenue streams and protect the country's national interests.

She made the remarks on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, during an appearance on the OK Morning Rush, where she emphasized the importance of accountability in the emerging carbon sector. According to her, the authority would ensure "Transparency in carbon market transactions and protect the country from potential exploitation in the global carbon trade."

Liberia's forests, which cover approximately 69 percent of the country's land area, store vast amounts of carbon, making them a valuable global asset for climate change mitigation and a potential source of sustainable national revenue.

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In 2008, Liberia submitted a Readiness Plan Idea Note (R-PIN) to the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility to begin preparations for forest-based carbon financing. As part of forestry governance reforms, the Forestry Development Authority subsequently incorporated carbon management into its official mandate.

In October 2024, Liberia further strengthened its international engagement by signing a Letter of Engagement with the Coalition for Rainforest Nations. The partnership was aimed at building national technical capacity, particularly in measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV), as well as establishing a forest reference emission level required to meet international carbon market standards.

By mid-2025, the National Climate Change Steering Committee and the Environmental Protection Agency were actively developing a national carbon market policy. Key issues under consideration included carbon ownership, benefit-sharing, and the creation of a transparent national governance framework.

However, consultations during the policy process raised concerns among civil society organizations and rural communities regarding inclusivity, transparency, and how benefits, particularly from forest carbon, would be equitably shared.

Madam Cooper noted that "We have already begun engaging key stakeholders and local communities to clarify the authority's mandate, institutional structure, and the national benefits of a regulated carbon market system."

She stressed that inclusive consultations remain essential to ensuring communities directly benefit from Liberia's carbon assets, while maintaining strong national ownership, oversight, and accountability. http://

For more updates on this story and other Liberia news, stay tuned to The New Dawn Liberia.

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