In a collective effort toward inclusive climate action and sustainable forest governance, UNDP and its partners—including the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB)—conducted a series of capacity-building training sessions under the EU-funded LEH GO GREEN (Let's Go Green) initiative.

The training held May 26-30, 2025, covered both the Southeast (Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County) and Northwest (Bopolu, Gbarpolu County) landscapes. 

Designed as a one-day refresher Training of Trainers (ToT) session followed by four days of community-level workshops, the initiative aimed to enhance local understanding of carbon markets, strengthen community participation in forest governance, and empower grassroots stakeholders to engage meaningfully in Liberia’s evolving climate and carbon readiness frameworks.

“The LEH GO GREEN project is about forest protection, building a future where Liberians—especially those living closest to our natural resources—are informed, empowered, and equipped to thrive in a green economy,' said Alvin Roberts, LEH GO GREEN focal point at the FDA.

The ToT refresher gathered top-performing trainees from a 2024 foundational session, providing them with updated insights on climate change mitigation, carbon financing mechanisms, and facilitation skills through participatory methods.

The community workshops, held in Zwedru and Bopolu, engaged a diverse range of local actors, including women, youth, community forest leaders, traditional chiefs, and smallholder farmers.

These sessions emphasized rights-based approaches, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and social and gender safeguards, ensuring that carbon initiatives support rather than burden forest-dependent communities.

Participants also explored Liberia’s current carbon market readiness, the legal frameworks enabling community involvement, and benefit-sharing mechanisms. 

To make technical content more accessible, trainers incorporated real-life case studies, videos, and localized materials.

Key facilitators included representatives from the FDA, UNDP, and CFMB. Participants, including local leaders, reaffirmed their commitment to sharing knowledge within their communities, furthering the initiative’s impact.

These activities align with the broader objectives of the LEH GO GREEN project, which supports the Team Europe Initiative on Sustainable Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation in Liberia. 

The EU-funded initiative is empowering communities in Liberia through carbon market training & sustainable forest governance. 

With global attention on carbon markets projected to reach USD 2.68 trillion by 2028, Liberia is positioning itself as an active and inclusive player in climate finance.