When Teddy P. Taylor began mobilizing fellow young people in 2009 around environmental sustainability issues; he had no idea that those efforts would earn him a seat at the global climate advocacy table. Curious about protecting the environment, Taylor led community awareness campaigns in the Parker Paint community in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.
"I gathered young people before the Conference of the Parties meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. And that was my first opportunity to talk to young people on the issue of climate change," he recalled.
But all these campaigns would not have come if he had not visited an abandoned mine pit in 2006, which turned into a lake, now known as the famous Blue Lake in Bomi County. The pit was abandoned by the Liberia Mining Company after mining iron ore for decades. Despite its history, the lake amused visitors with its beautiful blue color.
Taylor says his fellow visitors on this trip were glued to the beauty of the lake, but Taylor became concerned about other communities with a mining company presence.
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"I was just concerned," he said. "This place was not like this, and to have this after mining activities was concerning."
While others loved the area, Taylor says he became frightened about the degradation of the landscape. With his experience at the Blue Lake, Taylor wanted to learn more about environmental sciences. Unfortunately, then, the University of Liberia wasn't offering environmental sciences, so he picked geology as an alternative to enhance his understanding of earth systems.
"But then the model was in such a way that students were largely being trained for medical school, for those who chose to study Biology," he said. But it did not discourage him. He pursued his degree in Geology.
While at the university, the lad continued his advocacy endeavors, hosting small groups of young people to talk about mangrove, coastal, and forest protection. One of his messages was, "Wetlands are not wastelands."
The Liberia National Student Union (LINSU) spotted Taylor's work, offering him a volunteer position. "And then, I was fortunate to be part of the government delegation at the Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris," said Taylor, who founded the Youth Climate Change Initiative after the conference in Paris.
Taylor, who now serves as the Assistant Director for External Relations at the Department of Multilateral Environmental Agreements at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), joined the entity in 2019 as the national youth focal point under the leadership of former EPA boss, Nathaniel Z. Blama.
Now, he leads on matters related to Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and also leads and communicates multilateral diplomacy in his role as the assistant director for external relations in the Department of Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
History was made as Taylor became the first Liberian appointed as the Lead Coordinator for Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) within the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), a pan-African climate advocacy group. In this role, Taylor will unite diverse African perspectives to present a cohesive continental front on the global stage--a monumental achievement that elevates Liberia's presence in international environmental diplomacy.
Currently chaired by Dr. Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah of Ghana, the AGN, the official negotiating body representing all 54 African member states in multilateral climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The leadership of the AGN is chaired by a selected member nation on a two-year rotational basis. The Chair represents Africa in high-level plenary sessions, directs thematic negotiating leads, and coordinates common positions.
The current AGN Chair, had closely observed Taylor's outstanding work within the AGN, the Group of 77 (G77) and China, and the climate change negotiation space. His moment arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, during the National Adaptation Plans Expo 2026. After Taylor presented a Liberia-focused project on freshwater ecosystems, the AGN Chair approached him directly to prepare him for continental service.
The appointment became official in Bonn, Germany, during the 64th session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64). Taylor was formally introduced as the thematic lead coordinator and integrated into the leadership channels to direct ACE negotiations on behalf of the African continent.
Taylor attributes his professional milestone to a strong network of supportive leaders rather than individual effort alone. He expressed deep gratitude to key figures who guided his path, including Dr. Nathaniel Blama, Professor Ben Karmorh, E. Abraham Tumbey, Arthur Becker, Director of the Department of Multilateral Environmental Agreements at the EPA, and lead on the country's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and other environmental professionals.
Becker was recently appointed to a two-year term (2026-2028) on the 11-member Steering Committee of the NAP Global Network. The committee provides strategic leadership and helps direct global communication and resource allocation for climate adaptation.
Taylor highlighted the crucial role of EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo, describing him as a servant leader whose supportive approach fosters growth. According to Taylor, thriving in high-level diplomacy requires working alongside leaders who choose mentorship over competition.
For Liberia--a nation holding over 40% of the Upper Guinean rainforest--this role secures a long-overdue seat at the international decision-making table.
While Taylor holds the position as a proud Liberian, his mandate encompasses the entire African continent. He coordinates consensus around crucial ACE pillars: climate education, public awareness, training, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation.
To translate policy into tangible action, Taylor emphasized the newly validated National Climate Change Learning Strategy, developed with technical and financial support from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The strategy aligns directly with Liberia's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
A major pillar of Taylor's vision is integrating climate education directly into the primary and secondary school national curricula. The goal is to cultivate environmental stewardship at an early age--much like basic health education--ensuring students naturally adopt sustainable habits before reaching the university level.
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Addressing the climate crisis effectively requires substantial financial resources. As coordinator, Taylor advocates for developed nations to fulfill their climate finance obligations, pointing to recent milestones like the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund as momentum to build upon.
Beyond basic technology transfer from the West, Taylor advocates for developing and scaling indigenous solutions. Examples include local rainwater harvesting methods, traditional forest management techniques, and clean energy solutions like eco-friendly cookstoves made from clay and powered by coconut waste.
Climate action in Liberia is actively extending beyond the capital into rural communities. Through county-level climate action plans and initiatives focused on biodiversity financing, local structures are directly participating in solutions.
For the first time, environmental sustainability and climate action are explicitly embedded in the national development blueprint (the ARREST Agenda). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Finance continue to work together in international negotiations to secure donor grants and complement local government budget allocations.
Aligned with the AGN Chair's two-year tenure, Taylor views his appointment as an opportunity to set a high standard of integrity and technical excellence. His goal is to ensure his tenure creates a lasting pathway for future Liberian leaders to excel on the global stage.
