NAP Posted: December 16, 2021

 

  1. Vision, goals and objectives

Goals

  1. Develop and implement a strategy to enhance the quality of the climatic projections
  2. Develop a plan of action on technology needs for adaptation
  3. Prepare and deploy an online data integration system for monitoring, dissemination, and awareness-raising on the impacts of climate change
  4. Formulate a capacity-building strategy for adaptation for various target public agencies, CSOs, NGOs
  5. Deployment of NAP monitoring and evaluation (M & E) system                                                         
  6. Drafting and initiation of adaptation strategies                                                                                                    
  7. Develop and deploy sectoral risk vulnerability assessment                                                                 
  8. Establish a center for climatic intelligence for all sectors at the EPA

Objectives

Provide a framework and procedures for sharing of information of scientific, technical, and traditional knowledge on climate change risk management and develop capacity-building measures;

Coordinate sectors and related government and private land-use institutions on climate change risk management using awareness with a focus on the improvement of climate risk management actions; and

Work with the priority sectors to identify and propose measures to promote adaptation to reduce climate change risk.

  1. National circumstances

Liberia’s economy is very reliant on primary sector activity (extractive industries), and these are a key part of the future development of the economy. Poverty is a significant background factor contributing to climate change vulnerability in Liberia. More than half of the population lives in poverty, with almost 40% of the population experiencing food poverty. There is also a high dependence on natural resource-intensive sectors that are climate-sensitive – such as agriculture, fisheries, and forestry– for economic growth and livelihood support.

  1. National Policies as indicated in the NAP

This National Climate Change Policy and Response Strategy (NPRSCC, 2018), The Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC (INC, 2013), National Reconstruction and Development Plan (NRDP), the National Biodiversity and strategy action plan (NBSAP), This National Disaster Management Policy (NDMP, 2012),  The Environmental Protection and Management Law (EPML) of Liberia

  1. Specific NAP mandate if developed yet

No specific mandate but a link of the NAP process to national policies and documents. The AFT, the country’s national development document, recognizes climate change adaptation under Pillar V as a cross-cutting issue. Pillar V is aligned to the NAP Process

  1. Institutional arrangements

The National Level (horizontal arrangement) includes line ministries and agencies, the EPA, National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), and National Climate Change Steering Committee (NCCSC).  Vertical integration involves the Local Government and Local Organization. In collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will play the lead role in coordinating with the government's subnational levels.

  1. Alignment with other frameworks

SDGs

There is mention of linking national gender policies to the NAP process, under which it is stated that the NAP process will be carried out in compliance with Liberia’s commitments to international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and Sustainable Development Goal #5,  Gender Equality as well as mainstreaming gender in climate change

Others

National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA, 2013).  Initial Nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Mention of NAPA - In 2008, Liberia formulated its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) with technical support and funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

  1. Key climate hazards and risks

The most common hazards experienced in Liberia are epidemics, floods, tropical storms, tidal abnormalities, coastal erosion, and droughts. In addition, human-induced disasters result from war, refugees, internally displaced people (IDP), and chemical and harmful elements. In the future, meteorological hazards such as floods and droughts are likely to increase due to global warming. In addition, industrial development might further lead to oil spills and other toxic waste disasters.

  1. Resource mobilization strategies (international and domestic)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) will establish the climate public expenditure and institutional review (CPEIR) and Climate finance tracking system.

  1. GCF Country Programme

No mention of the country programme. But the mention of GCF funded projects (Liberia was one of the first recipients of the GCF.  In partnership with the UNDP, EPA has implemented the GCF-funded project NAP Readiness project to support the NAP process.

  1. Other cross-cutting issues

Private sector engagement

In the NAP Process institution arrangement description, subnational (vertical) integration includes coordinating with private sector stakeholders. It is also stipulated that one of the fundamentals to the success of the NAP process in Liberia will be developing innovative strategies for engaging the private sector.  A recommendation in the NAP is private sector engagement. For example. through the EPA, Liberia's government must build a conducive business environment that enables the private sector to take the initiative on climate change adaptation. For instance, private companies could be given tax incentives to invest in climate change adaptation measures. Furthermore, an environmental certification system could be developed to reward companies that apply credible climate resilience principles to business.

Gender

Strong emphasis on mainstreaming gender considerations into Liberia’s adaptation response and done within the context of sustainable development -  improving gender equality (SDG5) and in line with Liberia's National Gender Policy (NGP, 2009). The NAP further stresses that adaptation initiatives that do not take gender perspectives into account may unintentionally replicate general inequality. Hence, to ensure that gender considerations are appropriately mainstreamed into the NAP process in 2019, GoL conducted a study on gender and social impacts relating to climate change. A GEF-funded project in five counties in Liberia found that there is a high degree of vulnerability among women. Technical M&E parameters will be proposed and used to determine whether gender is adequately reflected in adaptation projects.

Indigenous Peoples

One of the adaptation goals for the agricultural sector is to support communities in livestock and crop sectors by inventorying and disseminating indigenous knowledge.

  1. Monitoring and evaluation of the adaptation process (M&E)

Each ministry or agency is supposed to conduct internal monitoring processes during the entire NAP implementation process so that they be able to rectify problems as they exist and enhance good achievements. They will prepare periodic monitoring reports (quarter and annual reports) on the achievements of the adaptation strategies in their sector and submit them to the EPA. EPA will organize and provide technical backup and capacity building on the monitoring process. annual National summary reports on the achievements obtained and challenges will be then prepared.                                                                                    

Evaluation: there will be evaluated on an ongoing basis, starting from the approval by the GoL.The second type of evaluation is the short-term evaluation, the third is the mid-term evaluation, and the other is the final evaluation.

  1. Reporting

At the national level

As a lead agency, the EPA will lead and conduct annual assessments on the implementation of the Strategy by the respective sectors and report the findings to NCCSC.

  1. Related NAP outputs

Stocktaking reports

The NAP Process has included a stocktake of NAPA implementation progress to identify achievements, lessons learned, and additional needs. The NAP process will build on the experience of the NAPA and will identify opportunities to scale up the NAPA’s successful interventions.

Vulnerability assessment reports

Liberia has undertaken climate vulnerability and risks assessments on several priority sectors to support these policies, including coastal zones, agriculture, waste management, forestry, and fisheries.

Implementation strategy

Key institutions mentioned under each sector are expected to integrate the proposed adaptation actions into their sectors. These sectors and universities will work with the EPA in the implementation of the NAP process. In so doing, the key sectors will be implementing the NPRSCC. They will also report progress on implementing the actions annually to the EPA of the Climate Change Secretariat.