Liberia Calls for Urgent Climate Action at COP 29 in Baku

By Konah Rufus 

At the World Leaders Climate Action Summit (COP 29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 12, 2024, Honorable Jeremiah Kpang Koung, Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, delivered a powerful national statement emphasizing the urgent need for decisive action on climate change. He extended congratulations to the Government and People of Azerbaijan for their presidency of the conference and thanked them for their warm hospitality.

In his address, Vice President Koung  highlighted the critical issues being discussed at the summit. He pointed to the recent flooding in Liberia’s low-lying areas, which has resulted in loss of life, destruction of property, and the displacement of communities. This experience underscores the necessity for COP 29 to establish a framework for a Loss and Damage Fund, emphasizing the need for a process that is both simple and accountable.

Koung urged for stronger cooperative actions and decisions regarding Articles 6.2, 6.4, and 6.8, aligning with the Africa Group's position on the operationalization of carbon and non-carbon market mechanisms. He reflected on Liberia’s commitment to climate action, noting the country’s ambitious Second Generation Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 2.0), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 64% through adequate financing.

The Vice President announced plans for Liberia to further enhance its climate ambitions in the formulation of its third generation NDC, which will incorporate biodiversity protection, conservation of mangroves, freshwater ecosystem services, child rights, and human mobility. He called on developed nations to increase their contributions to meet the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, recognizing the essential role of climate finance in achieving these objectives.

Additionally, Vice President Koung highlighted Liberia’s establishment of a national climate laboratory at the University of Liberia, aimed at building the country's human resources to effectively address climate change challenges.

He emphasized the importance of collective efforts in combating climate change. "Humanity has faced numerous problems in the past, but it is our collective efforts that have kept us going. This is our time. If we hold together and speak with one voice, holding each other accountable in a fair and equitable manner, we will confront the nightmare of climate change and global warming, and we will succeed," he stated, rallying leaders to unite in the fight against climate challenges.