Gov’t Seeks Direct Access to Global Climate Finance | News

Liberia has begun preparations to seek accreditation with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a major international source of climate finance for developing countries.

The government says the move is intended to position Liberia to access more climate financing directly and strengthen the country’s capacity to develop, manage and monitor climate-related projects.

The accreditation preparation process was launched in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, where Acting Assistant Minister of Economic Policy at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Josephus T. C. Nyumalin, said Liberia needs significantly more resources than the national budget can provide to respond effectively to climate change.

Nyumalin pointed to rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, flooding and coastal erosion as growing threats to livelihoods, food security and the national economy.

He said climate action can no longer be treated solely as an environmental issue but must be integrated into Liberia’s broader economic development planning.

According to Nyumalin, accreditation with the GCF would help Liberia strengthen systems for developing, managing and monitoring climate projects, while improving financial controls and accountability.

He stressed, however, that accreditation should not be viewed as the ultimate objective.

“The bigger aim,” he said, is to bring more climate finance into Liberia and ensure that resources are directed toward projects capable of making a tangible difference in communities.

The National Coordinator of the Green Climate Fund at the Environmental Protection Agency, Elijah Whapoe, welcomed the initiative, saying the decision by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to lead the process demonstrates greater national ownership of Liberia’s climate agenda.

Whapoe said African countries currently receive less than four percent of Green Climate Fund financing, arguing that Liberia should strengthen its efforts to secure a greater share of available climate resources.

He disclosed that successful accreditation could provide approximately US$1 million in capacity-building support, which could help the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning establish the systems required to develop and manage climate programmes.

Whapoe, however, acknowledged that Liberia faces competition from other institutions seeking direct access to GCF resources.

He urged the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to take advantage of the opportunity and ensure that the accreditation process is successfully completed.

The Green Climate Fund was established to support developing countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

For Liberia, government officials say access to climate finance is increasingly important as the country confronts flooding, coastal erosion, changing weather patterns and other climate-related challenges.

The accreditation process is expected to strengthen Liberia’s institutional capacity to manage climate finance and improve accountability in the implementation of climate programmes.

Officials said the ultimate objective is to secure additional resources for climate-related investments that can support communities, protect livelihoods and contribute to Liberia’s long-term economic development.