With the collaboration of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, the EU-funded LEH-GO-GREEN Project being implemented by the FDA and UNDP has concluded a two-day capacity building workshop on Carbon Market and Carbon Readiness in Ganta City, Nimba County. The training workshop which lasted from November 4-5, 2024, attracted a cross-section of professionals working within the forestry, and other key sectors across the 15 counties of Liberia.
In her opening remarks, the Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Loretta A. Pope-Kai, appreciated participants and encouraged them to ensure the success of the workshop.
She used the occasion to call on partners to increase their support towards enhancing the capacities CSOs and NGOs relative to carbon trade. In attendance were representatives of CSOs; including coordinators representing the fifteen counties of Liberia. She said carbon market is an emerging issue in Liberia, and encouraged CSOs to get involved with the Carbon Readiness processes. According to her, recently, the National Climate Change secretariat (NCCS) has developed a roadmap that will lead to the development of Liberia’s Carbon Framework Law. She noted that when developed, they will specify all carbon market related issues. Madam Pope-Kai stated that the NCCS serves as the operational arm of the National Climate Change Sterring Committee (NCCSC), which is chaired by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MoFDP), and co-chaired by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA). She then admonished participants to make meaningful use of the knowledge and information achieved when they get back to their various counties. For his part, John S. Mckay, Jr., Technical Manager for the Department of Forest Carbon Harvesting Trade & Regulations at the FDA; who proxied for the Deputy Managing Director for Community, Conservation and Carbon, Nora G. Bowier, said the UNDP and the FDA are implementing partners to the LET’S GO GREEN project , stressing that the capacity building workshop forms key component of the project. He informed participants that the issue of Climate Change is not specific to an individual, or a particular society; but a global issue. According to him, carbon market plays a critical role in the global fight against Climate Change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. McKay also noted that the workshop was an essential step towards enhancing participants’ knowledge, sharing best practices, and building the capacity needed to effectively engage with carbon markets. He encouraged participants to engage openly, share their perspectives, and collaborate as they work towards achieving the objectives of the workshop. He thanked the UNDP for organizing the workshop, and appreciated Madam Bowier for providing him the opportunity to proxy on her behalf. The workshop objectives were presented by Alvin Roberts; Senior Extension officer within the Community Forestry Department of FDA and focal person for the EU-funded LEH-GO-GREEN Project. Mr. Roberts told the gathering that the workshop aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and tool necessary to understand, navigate and influence carbon market within the recent global boast, to reduce emission and transition to a low carbon economy. He stated that carbon market is a critical strategy for meeting climate change targets, but equitably and transparently civil society organizations must be informed and engage. The carbon market has involved rapidly since its formation under the UNFCCC in 2002. There have been several calls for local actors to engage activities in the carbon market. He said this initiative will be hosted under the umbrella of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, which aims to inform and incapacitate National CSO and NGO and provide a forum for them to have a structural dialogue on how to engage with national and local institutions in the ongoing carbon market readiness initiative. Mr. Robert also outlined some key topics discussed in the workshop to include building a fundamental understanding of what carbon markets are, how carbon credits and allowances operate, the difference between compliance and voluntary market and the role of civil society in carbon market. He narrated that civil society organizations are instrumental in promoting transparency and accountability with carbon markets building effectively. Lastly, Forestry Development Authority Senior Extension Officer Robert thanked the participants for their commitment and encouraged them to work together in making sure that carbon becomes a tool for both environmental and social progress.Also , E. Abraham Tumbey, Program Coordinator of UNDP explained the overview of the EU founded LEH GO GREEN project. In the overview, Mr. Tumbey said LEH GO GREEN is a project that looks at supporting communities in Liberia to be active participants in forest conservation, working with communities to have a key role play in the management and promotion of the forest resources. According to him, the LEH GO GREEN project is working in two landscapes in Liberia- Southeast and Northwest. In the Southwest, the project is focused on the Grebo-Krahn National Park while the Northwest is focused on the Gola Forest National Park. He narrated that the project is currently working on proposing a livelihood activity for communities to protect the forest from illegal activities. He said the only way forest can be protected successfully is when the community dwellers believe that there are benefits for protecting their forest. Tumbey also said for the livelihood activities, the project is targeting five hundred households from forest communities to ensure that the EU support them to develop five hundred hectares of Argo Forestry base on cocoa. He hailed participants for committing their time to participate in such a great workshop. Two separate panels discussions on Local Forest Governance in Liberia; Issues, Challenges and Opportunities on the road to Carbon Market-Benefit-Sharing & Safeguards and the Role of CSOs in Liberia’s Carbon Readiness Roadmap were carried out during the workshop. The workshop ended with the administration of aptitude test, and subsequent certifications of successful participants by Madam Weedor H. Gray, Technical Manager for Community Forestry Department at the Forestry Development Authority (FDA).