NEW YORK, USA – September 23, 2026 — Liberia has called on international partners to ensure that climate financing reaches communities on the front lines of protecting the country’s forests, rivers and coastlines, warning that climate-related pressure on natural resources can undermine peace and stability where institutions are fragile and communities are excluded from decision-making.
The call was made Wednesday during a high-level side event held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The event, titled “The Nexus Between Climate, Conflict and Natural Resources: Pathways to Peace, Resilience, and Sustainable Development,” was organized by Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Held at The Westin New York Grand Central Hotel, the forum formed part of Liberia’s engagements during its 2026–2027 tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
The gathering brought together Liberian government officials, UNDP representatives, African climate negotiators, development partners and members of the Liberian diaspora to examine the links between climate change, natural resource governance, peace and sustainable development.
Delivering the welcome remarks, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo said climate action, peacebuilding and the management of natural resources must be addressed together.
“Climate action cannot be separated from peacebuilding. Natural resource management cannot be separated from justice, transparency, community participation, and sustainable livelihoods,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said.
He stressed that while climate change does not directly cause conflict, it can act as a threat multiplier by worsening poverty, food insecurity, displacement, inequality and competition over increasingly scarce natural resources.
According to him, Liberia intends to use its tenure on the UN Security Council to push for greater international attention to climate-related security risks, while ensuring that women, young people and local communities remain central to proposed solutions.
In opening remarks delivered on behalf of Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, the Liberian government said climate security and peacebuilding have become important elements of the country’s engagement within the multilateral system.
The statement also emphasized Africa’s call for climate justice, including increased access to adaptation financing, technology and capacity-building support.
“The climate crisis is global, but its consequences are local. Our responsibility is shared, but our capacities are not equal,” the statement said.
Delivering the keynote address, UNDP Associate Administrator Haoliang Xu said Liberia accounts for only 0.03 percent of global emissions but has nevertheless committed to reducing emissions by 64 percent under its Third-Generation Nationally Determined Contribution, known as NDC 3.0.
Xu said UNDP has supported Liberia in developing its National Adaptation Plan and preparing its nationally determined contribution.
“Peace and security considerations feature in 41 percent of third-generation NDCs, rising to 70 percent among NDCs submitted by countries in fragile contexts,” he said.
Also addressing the forum, Liberia Carbon Markets Authority CEO and Presidential Envoy on Climate Action Jeanine M. Cooper said the Authority has begun registering carbon projects and is developing regulatory and valuation systems aimed at positioning Liberia as a credible source of high-integrity, nature-based climate solutions.
She said the emerging framework is also intended to ensure that communities benefit from carbon market initiatives and other climate-related investments.
Assistant Minister for Human Resources at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs Oretha Juah-Bestman-Yates shared a personal account of losing her childhood coastal community to sea erosion.
She used the experience to underscore the need for predictable and accessible climate financing for coastal protection, flood-control measures, early-warning systems and the safe relocation of families threatened by climate-related disasters.
The panel discussion was moderated by Francine Pickup, UNDP Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
Panelists included Kenya’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ambassador Dr. Ali Daud Mohamed; Chair of the African Group of Negotiators Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah of Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency; and Colorado State Representative Naquetta Ricks, President and Co-founder of the African Chamber of Commerce Colorado.
Daniel Kandy, Climate and Environmental Policy Specialist at the Minderoo Foundation, also addressed the gathering, focusing on financing for forests and biodiversity.
Throughout the discussion, speakers called for climate financing mechanisms that reach subnational governments and local communities, stronger systems for governing natural resources, and partnerships that treat resilient infrastructure as a long-term investment in peace, economic development and sustainable livelihoods.
The forum also reinforced Liberia’s effort to place the relationship between climate change, natural resources and security on the international agenda as the country carries out its responsibilities on the UN Security Council.
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