Summary

Liberia is one of the wettest countries in the world, located on the West Coast of Africa. A small country with a population of 5.25 million, nine of its fifteen counties are coastal counties, and it has a coastline of about 359 square miles. Liberia is a member of the Least Developed Countries, the Group of 77+China, and the African Group of Negotiators. The country is considered highly vulnerable to climate change, ranking 158th out of 187 countries in readiness to cope with climate shocks, despite contributing less than 0.03% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Liberia plays a pivotal role in multilateral climate policy because it serves as the third lung of the world, with approximately 43% of the Upper Guinea Forest (the third-largest carbon sink in the world) with unique biodiversity species .

Liberia’s NDC 3.0 is a critical, integrated framework designed to foster climate resilience and economic transformation through the creation of green jobs in renewable energy and waste management, supporting “Women in Green Technology” training, and establishing youth innovation funds. NDCs 3.0 fully align with the country’s development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (2025-2029), pillar five (5) on environmental sustainability

On youth inclusion. Liberia remains exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, and those who are most affected include young people. Historically, their involvement in decision-making processes related to combating climate change has been minimal (Stocktake Report, 2024). This pattern has seemingly contributed to deepening vulnerabilities, limiting opportunities for participation and leadership in climate action. Liberia’s NDC 3.0 acknowledges the commitment made in the Universal NDC Youth Clause (NDC 3.0). It not only acknowledges this group but also embeds concrete, measurable actions to guarantee their full participation, leadership, and equitable benefit in climate mitigation and adaptation.

The revision process involved consultations with over thirty-five youth and disability organizations, ensuring input from local communities. Moreover, NDC 3.0 prioritizes youth inclusion by integrating young voices into climate decision-making, aiming to create green jobs in renewable energy and waste management, and It mandates a youth representative on the National Climate Change Steering Committee by 2027.

On gender mainstreaming. Liberia prioritizes gender equality through a Gender-Responsive Foreign Policy (GRFP/FFP) and has institutionalized and mainstreamed gender. Liberia’s NDC 3.0 (2025-2035), validated in September 2025, recognizes that climate change impacts women and men differently, with women often facing greater risks due to persistent inequalities in literacy, education, and access to resources; it champions gender-responsive climate action, committing to allocate 20% of climate financing to women-led cooperatives, entrepreneurs, and smallholder farmers. The Ganta declaration includes a new call to include Children, Youth, Gender, and Persons-Living-With-Disabilities PWDs), and that their inclusive priorities should be considered across key sectors within the NDC 3.0. They categorically emphasized that national investments must focus on scaling up agroecology, ensuring that at least 70 percent of agricultural financing is directed toward initiatives led by women and youth. Gender mainstreaming has also been institutionalized, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) having a gender focal point who is a member of the senior management team and  Decent Work Act of 2015 and the National Gender Policy guarantee equal employment rights, prohibit gender-based discrimination, and mandate protection against sexual harassment.