Liberia calls for swift, decisive action against climate change at the ongoing COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, November 13, 2024 – Liberia’s Vice President, Jeremiah Kpan Koung, arrives in Baku, Azerbaijan, to lead the country’s delegation at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP 29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.
A dispatch from Azerbaijan says Liberia’s call for swift, decisive action against climate change comes as the nation grapples with increasingly severe impacts from global warming, including devastating floods that recently ravaged communities in Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Montserrado Counties.
COP 29, running from November 11 to 22, 2024, is a pivotal moment for Liberia and other vulnerable nations as they strive to secure stronger global commitments to combat climate change.
Vice President Koung will represent Liberia’s interests and present Liberia’s National Statement at high-level sessions of Heads of State and Government on November 12 and 13.
The Liberian Vice President is expected to emphasize Liberia’s heightened exposure to climate threats despite its low carbon footprint, urging developed nations to intensify their support for adaptation, loss and damage mechanisms, and climate financing.
According to the dispatch, Vice President Koung’s address will particularly advocate for the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, a crucial support system for countries enduring the worst impacts of climate change.
Liberia is seeking substantial international aid to alleviate climate events’ economic and human toll, particularly as severe flooding and unpredictable weather patterns continue to disrupt communities, damage infrastructure, and displace families.
VP Koung will also challenge developed countries to honor their commitments under the Paris Agreement, advocating for a New Collective Goal on climate finance to empower Liberia and other developing nations in building climate resilience and sustainable growth.
Meanwhile, in addition to his formal address, Vice President Koung will participate in bilateral talks with climate action leaders and financial partners, aiming to solidify support for Liberia’s climate agenda.
He is also expected to attend a special session hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during which developing nations will address the urgent challenges facing the global South, a region disproportionately impacted by climate change.
This year’s COP, hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan—a nation positioned at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia and a prominent oil and gas producer—highlights the pressing need to balance energy transition with environmental sustainability.
The conference is set to bring together world leaders, policymakers, and civil society to review progress and make critical decisions regarding the global climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. Editing by Jonathan Browne
