Liberia enters carbon market

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🗞️ Driving the news: Liberia is moving to enter the global carbon market, aiming to sell credits from its vast forests to help fund climate and development goals
• The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) is drafting a carbon policy, with support from the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, to ensure transparency, protect community rights, and avoid past mistakes seen in the mineral sector
• Concerns are growing among civil society and forest-dependent communities about equitable benefit-sharing, land rights, and the risk of exploitation

🔭 The context: Liberia’s forests cover over 6.6 million hectares and sustain livelihoods for around 60% of nearby residents
• The 2018 Land Rights Law grants customary land communities ownership of forest resources, creating a legal foundation for them to claim rights over carbon stored on their land
• A controversial 2023 deal with Blue Carbon sparked criticism for ignoring community consent and legal safeguards
• With global carbon markets projected to cut emissions at lower cost, Liberia’s entry could generate needed revenue for its Nationally Determined Contributions and climate adaptation efforts — but risks marginalising rural communities if not properly governed

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Liberia’s forests are critical for biodiversity and climate mitigation, and its engagement in carbon markets could demonstrate how low-emitting, high-forest nations can finance sustainable development while contributing to global climate targets
• However, weak safeguards or opaque deals could displace communities, undermine livelihoods, and harm trust in carbon markets
• Ensuring rights-based, equitable participation is essential for credibility and environmental integrity

⏭️ What's next: A national carbon policy is being drafted to clarify ownership, trading mechanisms, and institutional responsibilities, with inputs expected from the EPA, Forestry Development Authority, Land Authority, and civil society
• Stakeholders urge the government to treat carbon as a community-owned commodity, not a state-controlled resource
• Ongoing concerns around the Mount Coffee hydropower carbon credit deal, signed without EPA oversight, highlight the need for clearer governance and transparency
• Policy finalisation, pilot projects, and possible regulatory reforms are expected in the coming months

💬 One quote: "Carbon should be treated as a commodity, not a mineral resource … so that communities who own the land can also own and sell the carbon credits," — Andrew Zelemen, National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees

📈 One stat: Liberia contributes just 0.03% of global GHG emissions, yet its forests cover nearly 6.69 million hectares, offering significant carbon sequestration potential

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