Liberia's Experiences-

Consideration of gender and Vulnerable groups in National

Adaptation Plan Of Action

NAP Expo Meeting

April 15, 2015

By

Sampson K. P. Chea

Assistant Coordinator, CBD

Outline

Background and Rationale

Identification of Key Adaptations Needs

Criteria for Selecting Priority Activities

NAPA Process

Challenges

Environmental Problems and Stresses

Conclusion

Background and Rationale

Liberia ratified the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol in 2002 respectively

To enhance national adaptive capacity needs

UNFCCC Decision

Decision 4/CP.11: Extension of LEG Mandate until 2007

Decision 5/CP.17, paragraph 1: Integration of climate change adaptation into

relevant new and existing policies, programmes and activities, in particular

development planning processes and strategies.

Decision 29/CP:7: Established the Least Developed Countries Expert

Group(LEG) To Produce national adaptation programme of action

To generate consultation at the grass root level

To address urgent and immediate needs due to the adverse effects of

climate change

To assess current vulnerability and local coping strategies at the community

levels and use that to identify immediate priority actions

Location Of Liberia

Figure 1: Political Map of Liberia

Environmental Problems and Stresses Deforestation Land Degradation/Soil Erosion Loss of biodiversity Tropical storm Coastal erosion Flood Water and sanitation Pollution of Wetlands Poor Waste Management

NAPA Process

Institutional Arrangement

Synthesis of Information

Stakeholder Consultations

Endorsement of NAPAs

On-going NAPA Projects

Institutional Arrangement

NAPA National Steering Committee- Steering Committee members:

Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, Permanent Representative of Liberia to WMO,

Ministry of Health , Ministry of Finance and Developmental Planning, Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, Society Against Environmental Degradation(SAED), Ministry of

Agriculture, Save My Future Foundation(SAFE), University of Liberia, UNDP,

Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia, Food and Agriculture

Organization, World Vision-Liberia, Liberia Electricity Corporation, Ministry of

Gender, Children and Social Protection, Liberia Indigenous Forum for the

Environment(LIFE), and Social Enterprise Development of West Africa. Multi-disciplinary Integrated Assessment Team(MIAT):

-Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, University of Liberia, Liberia Electricity Corporation, Ministry of Health, Roberts International Airport, Society Against Environmental Degradation(SAED) Project Management Team -Project Manager, Deputy Project Manager, Accountant and Secretary

NAPA Process Con’t ...

Stakeholder Consultation-Gender and Vulnerable Groups

Climate Change affects everybody and every aspects of our society,

but the most vulnerable groups are:

Women and Children

The Disabled and Physically Challenged (Blind, Deaf, Cripple, etc)

The Orphans

The Elderly (Senior Citizens)

Farming communities

In all of our Stakeholder consultations and Institutional Arrangements during

the NAPA process, these vulnerable groups were involved, using the

Bottom-Top approach.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection, the Ministry

Agriculture and Organizations of Disabled and physically challenged

individuals, along with orphanages were part of NAPA process.

NAPA Process Con’t ...

Workshops and public awareness about the impacts of Climate

Change were conducted with vulnerable groups.

Women, Children, the Blind, Farmers, the elderly, and the physically

challenged have been informed and sensitized on the impacts of Climate

change to our environment; and they were considered as major stakeholders

in the NAPA process.

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, PRS

Agenda For Transformation, AFT ( the current developmental policy)

Climate Change, Gender, and vulnerable group issues are incorporated in

our Developmental policies:

The Vision 2030

Stakeholder Consultation-Gender and Vulnerable Groups

NAPA Process Con’t ...

Stakeholder Consultation-Gender and Vulnerable Groups

Establishment of a Disaster Commission

Responsibility: to handle all disasters that might arise due to climate

Change and other man-made events- Disaster Risk Management

The gender Ministry, the Commission on Disability, and the Disaster

Commission collaborate to address issues relating to gender and

vulnerable groups.

Establishment of a Commission on Disability

Responsibility: to coordinate and carter to all organizations of

physically challenged and blind individuals in our society.

Inorder to build resilience to CC, Gender and Vulnerable groups issues

have to been addressed.

Changing the name of our Gender Ministry to the “Ministry of Gender,

Children and Social protection”

Responsibility: to deal with gender issues, and carter to the welfares of

children and the social

NAPA Process Con’t ...

Identification of Key Adaptations Needs

Adaptation options identified from the following: Vulnerability and Adaptation report Synergy Assessment Report Stakeholder Consultations(Bottom – Top Approach)

Criteria for Selecting Priority Activities Level or degree of adverse effects of climate change Poverty reduction to enhance adaptive capacity Synergy with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements to which Liberia is a party Cost Effectiveness(quantitative; expressed in cost per million units

Endorsement of NAPAs

Following series of consultation workshops, the Draft final NAPA report was

discussed in a national workshop held in Monrovia.

The document was improved by incorporating comments and suggestions

made during the national workshop

Steering Committee reviewed and approved the NAPA document

The NAPA document was officially approved and signed by The House of

Representatives Committee on Land, Mines Energy & Environment and the

Chairman of the Environmental Policy Council (Minister of Lands, Mines and

Energy).

NAPA document was submitted to the UNFCCC in July 2008

On-going NAPA Projects

Enhancing Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Areas to Climate Change

Risk in Liberia – US$3.3 Million

Strengthening Liberia’s Capability to Provide Climate Information and

Services to enhance resilient development and adaptation to Climate

Change – US$7.51 Million

Strengthening the Resilience of WASH Service Delivery to Climate

Risks in Liberia Coastal Areas- US $7.11 Million (recently approved

by the GEF focal point)

Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change by Mainstreaming

Adaptation Concerns into Agricultural Sector Development in Liberia

– US$2.70 Million

Challenges

Lack of professionals with technical expertise on climate change due to mass exodus during crisis (brain drain)- Gender imbalance Inadequate of infrastructures for data collection and monitoring Inadequate public awareness on the impacts of climate change Limited budgetary support Political Will

Conclusion

Liberia is vulnerable to climate change due to high rate of poverty,

poor infrastructures, inadequate and lack of trained human resources,

etc. Gender and vulnerable group issues need to be further highlighted

and incorporated into our adaptation plan to Climate Change.

Adaptation and mitigation options are two main strategies that my

country is exploring in addressing the issue of climate change at the

national as well as the global level as advanced by Article 2 of the

Convention. Technology transfer, finance and capacity building

supplement the two strategies.

Mainstreaming climate change and gender-related issues in our

national policies, programmes, plans and activities is of national

concern as reflected in the Agenda for Transformation(AFT), current

development plan of Liberia

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!