At a two-day National Dialogue on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with government representatives, partners and experts involved in NDC implementation, UNDP Resident Representative for Programme described the Dialogue as a landmark effort that allows partners to reflect and outline a clear pathway and approach for a collaborative effort in supporting Liberia in a coherent and effective manner.

“This meeting provides a unique opportunity to engage a broader group of stakeholders in the NDC process and increase ownership of national and sectoral climate commitments,” said Violet Baffour through a proxy, Abraham Tumbey.

According to Baffour, such a broader engagement can also help increase national ownership of NDCs among diverse stakeholder groups.

The NDC is a national Climate Action Plan under the Paris Agreement. It describes how each country plans to reduce Green House Gas Emissions and adapt to Climate Change.

Liberia submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions in 2015, outlining the country’s intended actions to contribute to the global effort to combat climate change.

The document contains both adaptation and mitigation targets that are contingent on the availability of support.

The Country has an opportunity to revise and resubmit in 2020.

Discussions at the 2-day event centered on: identifying opportunities for increased partnership; exploring and strengthening governance and coordination mechanisms; defining roles and entry points, as well as promoting transparency, accountability and effective financial management systems for long-term development planning.

It also identified and defined the various roles and inputs of existing partners supporting Liberia NDC, entry points for new partners and facilitated an exchange of experience among the partners on the next steps for Liberia NDC.

This included review (level of ambition, costing, targets and indicators), cross-cutting issues related to implementation such as institutional arrangements with sectoral ministries and non-state actors.

The Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Conservation International and REDD Implementation Unit- Forestry Development Authority are collaborating efforts toward the implementation of the NDC.

For UNDP, the dialogue affords the opportunity to grasp a deeper understanding of the various roles and inputs of existing partners supporting Liberia NDC and National Communications and thus enabling UNDP to identify its niche within this important landscape.

Addressing climate change requires decisive leadership and coordinated stakeholders input. UNDP is confident that support to NDC is relevant at this time, given the challenges as well as its role in the overall environment and development process in Liberia.

Within the context of UNDP’s global flagship promise on climate change, support to national governments in their NDC implementation is a priority beginning now to 2030.