The Ministry of Public Works is proud to announce its active participation in the 60th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

The sessions were held at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) from 3rd to 13th June 2024.

The UNFCCC is the United Nations' primary process for negotiating international agreements to limit dangerous climate change, and this year's sessions focused on critical issues such as climate finance and advancing progress on the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The Ministry's Delegation, led by Minister Roland Layfette Giddings, is committed to Liberia's revised NDC under its Transport-Infrastructure Sector. 

Importantly,  these initiatives are cross-cutting with various sectors and aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15.1% below business-as-usual levels by 2030. 

The Ministry's efforts include road upgrading and incorporating climate change considerations into infrastructure plans, designs, and implementations.

Minister Giddings and the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo as Sectoral Heads, engaged in several productive discussions during the sessions, thereby emphasizing Liberia's climate goals, support from international partners, and ensuring positive outcomes that benefit the country. 

The Ministry, amongst other things, is focused on implementing equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient infrastructure while enhancing local adaptive capacity; thus exploring principles used by infrastructure professionals to achieve climate-resilient infrastructure which includes the inclusion of women and young professionals, examining implementation examples, and understanding how climate and risk assessment training contributes to local adaptive capacity. 

The Ministry recognizes that addressing climate change requires collective efforts across all sectors to build resilience and effectively adapt to its impacts.

Importance of the NDCs

The NDCs are central to the Paris Agreement and represent each country's efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. The Paris Agreement mandates that each Party to prepare, communicate, and maintain successive NDCs with the aim of achieving their objectives through domestic mitigation and adaptation measures.

The upcoming third-generation National Climate Plans, or NDCs 3.0, due in early 2025, are of fundamental importance. 
These plans, along with the 2030 targets, will be crucial in determining whether the world can limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C this century while building resilience for such a scenario.

During various important meetings and discussions with partners, including the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Coalition of Rainforest Nations (CFRN), NDC Partnership, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Minister of Public Works, engaged in productive discussions focused on critical issues such as climate finance and the implementation of Liberia’s national climate action plans.

In a notable discussion with Mr. Ousmane Fall Sarr, Coordinator of the West African Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, the Ministry pledged its support and commitment to the Alliance’s mission, a platform that aims to foster carbon markets and result-based climate finance in West Africa, enhancing the region’s position in international carbon markets, facilitating technology transfers, and accessing result-based climate finance for NDC implementation. 
The Alliance includes members from Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Togo.

Additionally, in a fruitful discussion with Conservation International, Minister Giddings  stressed the need for capacity building and innovation in Liberia, particularly in the areas of green-grey infrastructure and emerging technologies. 

He further elaborated on the next steps for the EPA and the Ministry of Public Works to map resilience needs and opportunities for integrated nature-based infrastructure solutions, such as mangrove restoration, coastal resilience, and green corridors. 

Minister Giddings emphasized that targeted interventions in green infrastructure are necessary, and social viability and environmental sustainability must be considered in any project.

The Ministry of Public Works remains dedicated to addressing the impacts of climate change and enhancing infrastructure resilience through collaboration and innovative approaches.