Liberia: CSOs, Communities Issue Resolution On Carbon Offsets, Carbon Trading

Civil society organizations and communities met in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, on Friday, September 20, 2024, and deliberated on the potential opportunities and challenges of carbon offsets as a framework for emissions reduction and issued a joint nine-count resolution.

These land and natural resource-based organizations and forest communities deeply rooted in forest landscapes gathered together with a united voice. They stood as custodians of the forests, their resolve was steadfast as they issued the nine-count resolution on carbon trading and offsetting.

This declaration carries the hopes of their communities and Liberia as a nation. The forests of Liberia then and now have been both a source of food and protection for its people. Residents of forest communities celebrate these towering trees providing them shelter, food, and livelihoods. But as whispers of carbon trading and offsetting grow louder, a sense of restlessness has settled upon these communities that have long coexisted with nature in a pleasant balance.

In a gathering that brought together women and youth, community leaders, and environmental advocates and organizations, the nine-count resolution was revealed as evidence of their collective wisdom and shared vision for the future. Each count spoke to a different aspect of their concerns and aspirations resounding the voices of the forests.

The first count emphasized the need for the government to formulate a comprehensive policy and law to provide the regulatory and legal framework to govern carbon emissions linked to all the sectors identified in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

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They also want the government to explore other options and assess the benefits of climate financing based on stewardship and improved forest management rather than prioritizing carbon trading.

Other count calls for the formulation of the policy and law on carbon takes on an integrated approach and involves the sectoral agencies identified in the NDC; The process for developing the policy and law on carbon be done in a transparent and participatory manner that reflects the voices of diverse stakeholders particularly CSOs and forest communities who depend on the forest for their livelihood; The policy and law should clearly distinguish different types of carbon and ownership thereof and specifically identify communities as the owners of carbon stored in forest on their Customary Land; The policy and law should clearly define a benefit-sharing scheme to protect women and children based on lessons learnt from the implementation of current laws of the forest sector; The government exercises due diligence in the formulation of the carbon policy and law to prevent individuals and institutions that have demonstrated vested interest in carbon trading; A rigorous assessment is conducted to determine the potential impacts of carbon trading on the livelihoods of communities and climate change mitigation efforts; The formulation of carbon policy and law should identify and address gaps in the current legal and regulatory framework of the natural resource sector.

The gathering was organized by the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) in collaboration with the Foundation for Community Initiatives (FCI).

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