ActionAid Liberia Opens 2nd National People’s Climate Justice Summit with Calls To finance Agroecology & Renewable Energy

ActionAid Liberia today officially opened the Second National People’s Climate Justice Summit, positioning the gathering as a decisive moment for advancing climate justice policy, inclusive climate financing, and people-centered solutions in Liberia. Country Director Madam Elizabeth Gbah Johnson underscored the urgency of confronting structural inequalities that leave communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

The Second Summit follows the inaugural National Climate Justice Summit held in late 2024, which set an ambitious agenda to scale agroecology, accelerate renewable energy, and advance people-driven climate finance. That first summit sparked deeper engagement between civil society and key government agencies, contributed to strengthening domestic resource mobilization, and marked a milestone for women and youth inclusion in Liberia’s updated climate commitments under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) 

Madam Gbah Johnson highlighted progress since the first summit, including government actions to strengthen fiscal frameworks and policy dialogues. Yet she was clear that much remains to be done to translate commitments into impactful action at the community level.

Climate Justice as a Policy and Social Imperative
At the heart of her remarks was the assertion that climate justice is social justice. She challenged policymakers and stakeholders to confront power imbalances and to design climate responses that are community-led, gender-responsive, and rights-based, rooted in feminist principles and human rights approaches.

Underpinning the Summit’s work Madam Johnson added are two major strategic initiatives which she named are all geared toward establishing Strategic Partnership for Agroecology and Climate Justice in West Africa (SPAC-WA); and the Strategic Partnership Agreement II that aims to transform societies to be just, green, resilient, and inclusive.

Through these platforms, ActionAid continues to back women and youth smallholder farmers, championing agroecology, land justice, renewable energy, and green job creation as core drivers of climate resilience.

Five Priority Areas Define the Summit Agenda she noted but added that over the next two days, discussions will address five interlinked priorities that the Summit identifies as essential to a just transition for Liberia

Johnson called a people-Driven Climate Finance when developing financing mechanisms must channel resources directly to communities, cooperatives, women, youth, and people with disabilities through transparent, accountable, and timely frameworks.

Touching on the need to scale up Agroecology Across Agriculture, Madam Johnson told partners in the room that it just does not promote diversified, climate-smart farming systems, but strengthens food sovereignty and reduce dependence on costly, synthetic inputs. She described agroecology as the best way for Liberian farmers and the country’s food security system. 

As global discussion swear about the need for countries to transition to clean and renewable Energy, Green Jobs, and Inclusive Land Access: Pushing for expanded off-grid and community energy  as solutions,  dealing with fossil fuels which continues to affect the climate, Johnson can only be done with intentional action, and the state investing real-time budget to and the necessary resources to help Liberia transition to  clean and renewable energy.

Last rainy season brought one of the worst floodings in memory, in which the  National Disaster Management Agency confirmed nine deaths with more than 100,000 in sixty communities being made displaced  by flooding. Therefore calling for disaster preparedness in the face of the climate crisis response the country director stress the need for enhancing early warning systems, anticipatory action, and integrated local planning in order to  protect communities that are exposed to climate extremes. 

Liberia remains one of the countries least responsible for global emissions contributing roughly 0.03% yet it faces deepening climate impacts. Coastal zones, home to around 60–70% of the population, are increasingly threatened by sea level rise, flooding, and erosion, with significant land loss and displacement recorded in recent years according to UNDP Grid Interactive country Fitches Report

An estimated 2.2 million Liberians are at risk from floods, 320,000 from coastal erosion, and millions more from windstorms and extreme weather events, highlighting the scale of exposure across the country. 
In her closing remarks, Madam Gbah Johnson stressed that post-COP30 climate commitments must translate into inclusive, measurable, and locally-owned action plans. The Summit aims to culminate in a 2025 Communique that reflects community priorities from agroecology and climate-resilient energy to gender-just climate finance backed by clear targets, timelines, and budget commitments.

“Our success,” she said, “will be measured not by the number of panels held, but by hectares of land restored, women with secure land titles, youth-led enterprises financed, and communities empowered against floods, storms, and climate disruptions.”

The Summit continues through December 16, bringing together leaders and communities engaged in charting Liberia’s climate justice pathway. 

It is under the theme “Just Transition: Scaling Agroecology, Clean Energy, People-Driven Climate Finance and Sustainable Solutions for Liberia.”