EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
This year’s COP26 is taking place at a time when the world is having to learn to live with the devastating and disruptive consequences of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic. Climate change, like COVID-19, presents an even bigger threat to the world and to our common humanity.
We have therefore gathered here at this 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference to seek common action to save our planet, and bring equity and fairness to how we achieve these objectives under the Paris Accord on Climate Change.
We are all aware that there is an inherent imbalance in the current architecture of climate financing. Countries like Liberia, who maintain and protect the largest remaining tracts of forest reserves, receive the lowest benefits for these ecosystem services.
We who are the richest in terms of forest resources and biodiversity, are the poorest in terms of socio-economic development.
Although we bear the brunt of the impact of climate change, we benefit the least from the existing solutions and financial arrangements currently in place for tackling climate change.
In order to address this imbalance, there needs to be a fundamental shift in the way we tackle this mismatch in climate investments today.
I believe that one of the ways that this can be done is to establish an African Carbon Credit Trading Mechanism. With your support, Liberia will be willing to host a conference in the near future to explore the details and structure of such an entity. We will work with pan-African and other global financial institutions to develop a long-term regulated market for African carbon credit.
I am convinced that these initiatives will increase the chances of all African countries that depend on their forest reserves to attain sustainable economic growth and national development in line with the vision set out in the 2030 Agenda.
EXCELLENCIES, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
Together, we can make a difference as a shared community of global citizens with a common destiny. Together we can heal the world from the scourges of climate change. Together, we can save this earth from the deadly consequences of global warming. Together, we can bring humankind into harmony with nature.
I thank you.