Presidency

H. E. Joseph N. Boakai, Sr.

President of Liberia

H. E. Zegben J. K. Koung

Vice President of Liberia

Ratified the Paris Agreement

 

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

P.O. Box 4024

4th Street Sinkor, Tubman Boulevard,

1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia

 

 June 8, 2018                                                                                                                                 Press Release

Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.

Welcome to the EPA and thanks for accepting our invitation at a very short notice.

We have invited you as conveyers of information to let the public know that a team from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), headed by its Executive Director, Hon. Nathanial T. Blama, Sr. representing the Executive Branch of our Government and some members of the Legislature which includes members of the Liberian Senate and House standing committees on Energy, Environment and Natural resources, Foreign relations, the Ministry’s of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of State, etc. are currently in the West African State of Ghana, participating in a knowledge sharing and training session on the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus on December 12, 2015 at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, France. More than 150 governments converged in Paris and enacted this paradigm shifting global instrument with the focus of combating and curtailing global temperature below 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial level while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degree Celsius.

The agreement seeks to increase countries’ ability to adapt, make finance flows consistent with pathways toward low emission and climate-resilient development. Accomplishing these goals takes into account the manner that reflects equality and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances.

Liberia is a signatory to the Paris Agreement, but is yet to ratify the instrument. Currently, 175 countries out of 190 have ratified and deposited their acceptance and approval of the Paris Agreement with UNFCCC Secretariat. Liberia is among the rest of the 15 countries world-wide which have not ratified the agreement. Liberia, Somali etc. have not taken the next steps till yet, though as a country we signed unto the agreement on April 22, 2016.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Marjon V. Kamara represented Liberia at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, when member countries of the UNFCCC signed the instrument on April 22, 2016.

The ratification of the convention by the Liberian Legislature is paramount, because it will afford Liberia the obligation and rights to abide by and benefit from the agreement including but not limited to decision making, voting rights among the comity of nations on climate change related matters.

It is important to emphasize that a country, which has not ratified the agreement will be denied access at high level decision making, including accessibility to development funding from finance mechanisms serving the agreement.

We can’t afford to miss-out on these opportunities; this is why my boss, EPA Executive Director, Hon. Nathaniel T. Blama, Sr. and some members of our legislature are in Accra, Ghana on a south-south study tour to learn how the West African state ratified the Paris Agreement, which is currently into force, after the UNFCCC Secretariat received more than 55% of countries ratifying and depositing their instruments as required by Article 21.

The expected output of such South-South study tour to Accra, Ghana includes but not limited to:

 

 1 The Liberian Legislature understanding the Legal and Development implication of Paris Agreement

2. The Legislature would learn how Ghana Ratified the Paris Agreement

3. That Legislature would understand the Paris Agreement Instrument and the corresponding benefits for Liberia. 

We have resolved to reach out to the Senate first, the House of Representatives and the office of his Excellency President George M. Weah and relevant ministries and agencies because the ratification of the Paris Agreement involves both the Legislative and Executive Branches of Government. 

Following the entering into force of the agreement in 2016, Parities have been working on the implementation modalities of the agreement and are about to finalize as the global community anticipates the roll-out the agreement by 2020.

Thanks,

 

Delivered by:

 

Hon. Randall M. Dobayou, II.

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Environment Protection Agen