ActionAid Liberia, Partners Present Joint Communiqué to Government at Close of National People’s Climate Justice Summit
The summit brought together over 1,000 delegates from across Liberia and West Africa
Monrovia, Liberia – December 16, 2025
ActionAid Liberia, in collaboration with national and regional partners, has concluded the 2025 National People’s Summit on Climate Justice with presentation of a joint communiqué to the Government of Liberia, outlining concrete demands and commitments to take to address the country’s escalating climate crisis aimed at advancing climate justice, equity, and sustainable development and developing people centered solutions.
The summit saw over 1,000 delegates from Across Liberia and West Africa from the ActionAid Federation.
The two-day summit, held from December 15–16 under the theme “Just Transition; Scaling Agroecology, Clean Energy, People-Driven Climate Finance and Sustainable Solutions for Liberia,” brought together representatives from government ministries and agencies, the Legislature, civil society organizations, women and youth movements, rural farmers, private sector actors, academia, media, and development partners.
At the close of the summit, participants presented a joint communiqué to the Government of Liberia, outlining concrete demands and commitments aimed at advancing climate justice, equity, and sustainable development. The communiqué was officially read and presented by Madam Loretta Pop Kai, Head of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia.
Participants acknowledged progress made since the 2024 National Stakeholder Summit on Climate Justice, including increased government engagement on agroecology, climate finance, and inclusive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) processes.
However, they emphasized that Liberia despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions continues to suffer disproportionate climate impacts such as flooding, coastal erosion, food insecurity, land degradation, and climate-induced displacement.
The communiqué highlighted agriculture as both the backbone of Liberia’s economy and one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate shocks. While agriculture contributes about 36 percent of GDP and employs more than 60 percent of the population, participants noted that agroecology proven to increase yields, improve soil fertility, and strengthen food sovereignty remains underfunded and under-prioritized.
The summit also raised concerns about inadequate climate finance reaching local communities, women-led groups, and youth-driven initiatives, as well as limited access to renewable energy and green jobs, especially in rural areas where electricity access remains extremely low.
Participants called for a decisive shift toward agroecology, stronger accountability within the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), people-driven climate finance mechanisms, a just energy transition, improved disaster preparedness, and the full domestication of COP30 outcomes aligned with Liberia’s NDC 3.0.
Women and youth, identified as the most affected by climate change yet least empowered in decision-making, were placed at the center of the summit’s demands. The communiqué urged reforms to land governance, climate finance systems, and disaster response frameworks to ensure gender-responsive and youth-inclusive solutions.
The communiqué was unanimously validated and adopted by summit participants, who committed to continued advocacy, monitoring, and public reporting on the implementation of the outlined actions.
Kollie further said “Climate Justice is not optional for Liberia.” Adding that it is so because Liberia stands on the frontlines of climate change ranging from unpredictable rainfall, and declining soil fertility to flooding, coastal erosion and climate-induced displacement among other things.
He then urged that “Climate finance cannot remain a distance concept discussed only in boardroom, and international summit.” But added that Liberia’s climate finance must reach the village level, to women farmers, youths, entrepreneur as well as frontlines managers.
Anthony Kollie then pledged his commitment to present the document to the government.
The National People’s Climate Justic Summit, organized each year, seeks to also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to hold honest discussions and dialogues that are tailored on assessing progress made from last year’s summit, review outcomes and assess how engagement with the key government ministries and agencies