As Liberia prepares to assume the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in December, the country is advancing an ambitious vision to transform its vast natural wealth into a driver of economic growth, climate resilience and sustainable peace.

At a high-level side event during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday September 23, 2026, senior Liberian officials, international policymakers, climate experts and development partners gathered to explore the nexus between climate change, conflict and natural resources. 

The event, organized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), reflected Liberia’s determination to reposition its forests, biodiversity, rivers, mangroves and coastline as strategic assets for national development.

At the heart of the discussions was Liberia’s emerging natural capital strategy, which seeks to unlock more than US$30 billion in natural assets while ensuring that environmental stewardship delivers tangible benefits for communities.

A New Vision for Liberia’s Natural Wealth

Presenting Liberia’s vision, Madam Jeanine M. Cooper, Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Carbon Markets Authority (LCMA), outlined the government’s efforts to establish a high-integrity carbon market and create new pathways for climate finance.

According to Cooper, Liberia is shifting from a narrative centered solely on conservation toward one that recognizes the economic value of the nation’s environmental resources.

“The idea now is to shift the national discourse from viewing Liberia only through a conservation and protection lens, to seeing it as a source for high-integrity nature-based solutions that continue to combat climate change and to get paid for that,” she said.

With more than 40 percent of Upper Guinea Forest remaining within its borders, extensive mangrove ecosystems, 15 major river systems, abundant rainfall, significant renewable energy potential and a 579-kilometer coastline, Liberia is positioning itself as a global provider of nature-based climate solutions.

Madam Cooper disclosed that under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s leadership, Liberia has developed the infrastructure, policy framework and valuation systems needed to assess and register carbon assets.  She revealed that the country's first National Carbon Policy was recently presented to the President, marking a major milestone toward operationalizing Liberia’s carbon market.

The LCMA, she said, has spent the past year building digital systems with the capacity to determining the carbon value of individual parcels of land while creating regulatory safeguards that prioritize transparency, investor confidence and community benefits. Importantly, Cooper emphasized that climate action must generate results far beyond carbon revenues.

“There are peace dividends that have to arrive long before a single carbon credit is sold,” she noted. “The climate action itself can remove the reason for conflict between communities when it’s handled correctly.”

She explained that investments in mangrove restoration, climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem protection can reduce displacement, ease competition for land and resources, and strengthen social cohesion in vulnerable communities.

“We’re not interested in branding ourselves as a victim. We’re not interested in branding ourselves anymore as looking for handouts. We want to be seen as a source of high-integrity, high-value, nature-based solutions to the problems of global warming.”

Climate Change as a Peace and Security Challenge

Opening the forum, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo stressed that climate action, natural resource governance and peacebuilding are inseparable. He warned that climate change is increasingly acting as a threat multiplier, worsening poverty, food insecurity, displacement and competition over natural resources.

“Climate action cannot be separated from peacebuilding. Natural resource management cannot be separated from justice, transparency, community participation and sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

Dr. Yarkpawolo argued that Liberia’s forests, rivers, fisheries, minerals and coastal ecosystems can only contribute meaningfully to development when managed through strong institutions, transparency and inclusive governance.

“Our natural resources are among Liberia’s greatest assets, but their value to the nation will depend on how responsibly and transparently we manage them.” The EPA Executive Director underscored the importance of local ownership and participation in environmental decision making.

“Communities cannot be treated as observers when decisions are being made about the resources upon which their livelihoods depend. Their participation is essential to building ownership, trust and lasting solutions”.

He further called for climate finance mechanisms that reach the communities serving as frontline guardians of Liberia’s forests, biodiversity and water resources.

UNDP Highlights Climate-Peace Link

Delivering the keynote address, Haoliang Xu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator, highlighted the growing recognition worldwide that climate action and peacebuilding are deeply interconnected.

Xu noted that although Liberia contributes only about 0.03 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the country has committed under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to reducing economy-wide emissions by 64 percent by 2040.

He praised Liberia’s climate leadership and reaffirmed UNDP’s support to both the NDC and the National Adaptation Plan. “Climate change need not be a narrative of conflict and instability,” Xu said. “With the right choices, climate action can strengthen livelihoods, improve natural resource governance, and sustain peace.”

Xu observed that peace and security considerations are increasingly being integrated into national climate plans worldwide, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected countries. He stressed that the challenge now lies in implementation and ensuring climate finance reaches vulnerable communities.

Human Stories Behind the Climate Crisis

One of the most powerful interventions came from Oretha Juah-Bestman-Yates, Assistant Minister for Human Resources at the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, who shared a deeply personal account of climate impacts.

She recounted how the coastal community where she grew up was gradually consumed by rising seas and erosion. “The ocean did not simply take houses or pieces of property. It took a community, our history, our neighbors.”

Describing the disappearance of homes, community landmarks and even the church where she attended pre-kindergarten, Madam Yates called for urgent action on coastal defense, early warning systems, flood control and planned relocation support.

“My daughter cannot return, but we can still protect what remains. Do not wait until the ocean takes everything.” Her testimony served as a powerful reminder that climate change is already a lived reality for countless Liberians.

African Voices Call for Investment and Resilience

Across the panel, African leaders and experts emphasized the need for greater investment in climate resilience and natural capital.

Ambassador Dr. Ali Daud Mohamed, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, highlighted how drought and environmental stress contribute to conflict between farming and pastoralist communities.

“We should not be asked to choose, and we do not need to choose,” he said, referring to the false choice between economic growth and climate action. 

He urged governments and investors to view resilient infrastructure as a smart long-term investment. “It costs a little more today. It saves far more tomorrow by avoiding crises and preserving peace.”

Similarly, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators, stressed that climate justice and equity must remain central to international discussions. “Equity is at the center of climate change,” he said, sharing examples of coastal communities in Ghana threatened by erosion and sea-level rise.

Diaspora and Private Sector Partnerships

Liberian American legislator Rep. Naquetta Ricks, President and Co-Founder of the African Chamber of Commerce Colorado, challenged Liberia to broaden its forest economy beyond timber extraction.

She advocated for increased investments in agroforestry, ecotourism, restoration enterprises, non-timber forest products and carefully governed carbon and biodiversity financing. “Liberia should treat its natural resources not simply as commodities to extract, but as productive assets.”

Ricks also called for stronger oversight mechanisms and increased transparency, noting that accountability is essential for attracting greater investment and confidence.

Meanwhile, Daniel Kennedy of Australia’s Minderoo Foundation argued that nature must be recognized as central to economic planning. Echoing the philosophy that “nature is the real economy,” Kennedy highlighted the growing role philanthropy can play in addressing climate financing gaps while cautioning that foundations cannot replace government leadership and institutions.

A Global Opportunity for Liberia

As Liberia prepares to lead the United Nations Security Council later this year, the country is using the global stage to advance an important message: climate action, natural resource governance and peacebuilding must go hand in hand.

Supported by UNDP and driven by a whole-of-government approach, Liberia’s $30 billion natural capital agenda seeks to transform forests, biodiversity, coastlines and carbon assets into engines of inclusive growth while creating jobs, attracting investment, strengthening community resilience and sustaining peace.

The message from New York was clear: Liberia is not simply seeking climate assistance. It is positioning itself as a global partner offering high-integrity, nature-based solutions to one of the world's greatest challenges while demonstrating how environmental stewardship can become a pathway to prosperity, resilience and lasting peace.

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