Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC).

This Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) is a nationwide sectoral document developed by the Government of Liberia in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to limit its greenhouse gas emissions emanating mainly from the energy sector which uses traditional fuels such as firewood, charcoal and palm oil, and fossil fuels, especially petroleum products. The document also supports the long-term strategy of Liberia aiming at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Liberia’s INDC includes one component on mitigation and one on adaptation.
The strategic options for mitigation considered under the INDC are (1) electricity sector, aiming at strengthening mechanisms to improve climate change mitigation actions, implementing researches in the field, strengthening institutional and individual capacity in renewable energy technology and management, and implementing large scale biomass projects; (2) waste sector, focused on solid waste disposal on land, capacity building for waste management and creation of waste management infrastructure; limiting methane gas emitted from landfills and used for fueling vehicles, cooking at home or generation of power; and (3) transport, mainstreaming climate change into existing transport management plan to strengthen emission control, developing technical and safety standards and the enforcement of emission control, improving the quality of transport infrastructure and services, and tracking system of pollutants from vehicles.
The measures will concern the following areas (1) agriculture, enhancing resilience to increasing rainfall variability through the diversification of crop cultivation and small ruminants rearing; (2) building of a national hydro-meteorological monitoring system and improved networking for the measurement of climatic parameters; and (3) building of coastal defense walls to reduce the vulnerability of urban coastal areas. The long-term adaptation initiatives will include fishery, health, and transport, all with an integrated gender-responsive approach to ensure progress toward efficient and effective adaptive capacity and resilience.
To make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the INDC proposes (i) promote drought-resistant, flood- tolerant and early maturing crop species; (ii) inter-cropping, irrigation and the optimization of lowland/swamp farming; (iii) pest control including fencing of farms against rodents, birds scarecrows, regular weeding, and the use of high echoing bells; (iv) develop climate resilient agro-forestry diversification and livestock production systems; (v) create a platform for knowledge and experience sharing on best adaptation practices; (vi) develop and implement agriculture and hydrological technology models and scenarios for planning; and (vii) establishment of a gene bank of climate resilient varieties of indigenous food crops. As for forestry measures, they are as follows (i) increase awareness and strengthen participation of local dwellers in forest conservation; (ii) protection of forest and biodiversity rich forest zones; and (iii) increase the amount of forested land through reforestation of degraded lands. Fishery will be enhanced through (i) strengthening institutional and local capacity and monitoring systems for fishery management; (ii) development of climate smart fishery systems to enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of fisher communities; and (iii) identification and conservation of endangered fish species.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the document adds to the aforementioned measures the following (i) integrate climate change considerations into existing health policies and strategies, taking into account gender-differentiated impacts and responses; (ii) strengthen transmission and distribution infrastructure for public utilities to ensure climate resilience (i.e. flooding); (iii) reinforce design standards and planning codes for roads and other infrastructure to cope with flooding, sea level rise and windstorm; (iv) strengthen early warning systems and evacuation planning for intense rainfall events and floods; and (v) maintain and upgrade roads with appropriate drainage systems to cope with flooding.