LYCA, Partners Host Liberia’s First Local Conference on Climate Change Ahead of COP27
The Liberia Youth for Climate Action (LYCA)-a leading youth institution that focuses on providing awareness for climate change with support from the British Embassy and ActionAid Liberia has ended a two-day conference with youth on climate change in the Country.
The conference is the first edition of the Liberia Local Conference Of Youth (LCOY). It brought together over one hundred fifty youths from local NGOs, Universities, and community organizations to discuss the way forwards on risk-mitigating issues of climate change.
It is happing ahead of the Conference of the Parties (COP)-an annual UN Climate Change Conference and decision-making body of the UNFCCC scheduled for November, in Sharm-el- Sheikh, Egypt.
At the first edition of LCOY, the youth rallied for National Government support in addressing climate-related issues across Liberia.
The event was attended by the British Embassy in Liberia, ActionAid Liberia, the Dean of Science College, the University Of Liberia, the Environmental Protection Agency, youths, and climate activists.
Making remarks on behalf of the British Embassy in Liberia, H.E Neil Bradley, called on the participants to play an active role in climate debate worldwide.
“I encourage you to run towards the heart of the climate debate…We need advocates like you to play a catalytic role in society, particularly recognizing climate justice is interlinked with economic and social justice for so many people around the world,” Amb. Bradley said.
Also speaking on behalf of LYCA, Ezekiel Nyanfor lauded the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Children and Youth Constituency, YOUNGO, the British Embassy in Monrovia, ActionAid Liberia, and its partners for choosing them among several youth institutions to host the first-ever LCOY.
Nyanfor also pledged LYCA’s commitment to work and ensure that people are informed about the environment and how to improve it, especially regarding climate change.
“LYCA is committed to working with every institution concerned about the environment in making it better, especially the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia,” Ezekiel Nyanfor said.
In remarks, the Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Randall M Dobayou commit to supporting youth at EPA and ensuring that their plights are addressed.
He said, “From today onward I can be your ambassador to advocate on your behalf. I’m going to be extremely tougher on him to get you guys to work with us, we should be able to sponsor you next time financially.”
He alerted young people about the current climate risks posed in Liberia; stating that if remedies are not instituted to mitigate these threats, the country will encounter high climate disasters by 2026.
Like the EPA, the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), through Samuel J. Kpartor lauded LYCA for her efforts in combating Climate Crisis across Liberia. Kpartor pledged the FLY commitment to supporting the youthful population of Liberia.
Climate Change is a major challenge in most African Countries that need to be tackled. Many parts of Africa are experiencing flooding due to increased intensity of rainfall, coastal erosion, and sea-level rise.
In Liberia, Climate change has increased temperatures and is harming water availability, according to World Bank 2022 reports.
Excerpt from the report: “Liberia, as well as the West African Region, are at high risk to projected climate trends of increased temperatures, high variability of precipitation with potential for increased heavy rainfall events.”
Liberia’s annual temperature increased by 0.8°C between 1960 and 2006, an average rate of 0.18°C per decade, while there has also been a significant decrease in the annual frequency of ‘cold nights’, which have decreased by 18 days per year.
