IPNEWS: As the oldest republic in Africa, Liberia has navigated a treacherous path to stability, weathering civil conflict, economic volatility, and health emergencies. But unlike past trials, the climate crisis cannot be relegated to one chapter of Liberia’s development story. The effects of a warming climate are slow building and chronic. Hotter days will gradually evolve into extreme seasons and years.
Erratic rainfall patterns will intensify into more frequent and catastrophic floods. The consequences will not be confined to environmental degradation but will permeate the economy and the well-being of Liberia’s people.
Many factors leave Liberia particularly vulnerable to climate change. Its economy is highly dependent on its natural wealth, its fiscal space is limited, its infrastructure and services are inadequate, and its human development outcomes are among the lowest in the world. Farmers often use inefficient technologies that are vulnerable to weather and lack access to credit, good-quality seeds, and other inputs and markets, making agricultural productivity low and food insecurity high.
Half of the population lives below the national poverty line, and over a quarter life below the international poverty line of US$2.15 per day. Just 28 percent of the population has access to electricity, transport connectivity is low, and access to water and sanitation services is limited, with a quarter of the population without basic drinking water services and nearly 40 percent practicing open defecation.
This Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) examines Liberia’s development trajectory through the lens of the country’s vulnerability to climate change. It identifies Liberia’s development risks and opportunities, models various scenarios of climate impact and intervention, and proposes ways to strengthen resilience and finance climate actions that support Liberia’s development aspirations of inclusive growth and poverty reduction.
Though Liberia is among the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for global climate change, it has low readiness to adapt to its effects. This paradox frames the subsequent analysis, and many of the climate actions recommended in this report are responsive to adaptation needs rather than mitigation.
For instance, rice, a main staple in Liberia, is extremely reactive to higher humidity, extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall, and the pests that flourish under these conditions.
The CCDR finds that Liberia’s rain-fed rice production could be reduced by up to 13 percent over 2041–2050 from climate change compared to the baseline scenario. The resultant decrease in income and heightened reliance on costly imports could exacerbate poverty and food insecurity for many Liberian households.
The number of preventable deaths could also increase. For example, malaria and diarrheal diseases—the top two causes of mortality for over two decades in Liberia—are acutely sensitive to climate.
“While there has been progress in improving health outcomes, most Liberians still lack the basic infrastructure— comprehensive water and sanitation services, solid waste management, drainage networks, and strong housing structures—that would protect them from escalating exposure to environmental hazards.”
“Climate change will exacerbate the range of health issues, including infectious disease, undernutrition, and noncommunicable diseases. If Liberians do become sick, many will struggle to access health care. In rural areas, health facilities are scarce, and roads are mostly unpaved and in rough condition. Flash floods (which are expected to increase with climate change) are known to inundate and destroy routes to essential health services. “Liberia Country Climate and Development Report concludes..
