-Taps Climate Envoy as CEO; National Registry and Investment Fund Created
MONROVIA, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has signed Executive Order No. 155 establishing the Carbon Markets Authority (CMA) as Liberia’s lead national entity for climate finance and carbon markets, and creating a National Carbon Registry and the Liberian Carbon Investment Fund (LCIF) to channel revenues into public‑good projects.
The order, dated Oct. 24, 2025, takes immediate effect. It positions the CMA to oversee policy, market participation and compliance with the Paris Agreement, including use of Articles 6.2 and 6.4 mechanisms, and to coordinate with ministries, agencies and the private sector across forestry, the blue economy, renewable energy, agriculture, waste management and urban development.
Leadership and New Institutions
- The CMA will be headed by the Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, who will serve as Chief Executive Officer, supported by a Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer—each appointed by the President.
- A National Carbon Registry will track credit issuance and transactions in line with international standards to strengthen transparency and market integrity.
- The Liberian Carbon Investment Fund (LCIF), a national trust fund, will manage carbon‑market revenues and reinvest them in climate‑resilient, inclusive development, with oversight by a Fiscal Oversight Board chaired by the Ministry of State.
“This Executive Order reflects our government’s determination to protect our environment, empower our communities, and unlock the full economic potential of our natural resources through responsible and transparent climate governance,” President Boakai said, noting the move aligns with Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contributions and aims to make Liberia “a trusted partner in global climate action.”
Funding, Oversight and Priority Uses Start‑up and operational resources for the CMA will come from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. Ongoing revenues will include:
- Fees and transaction charges from the National Carbon Registry
- Shares from public‑private partnerships in compliance and voluntary carbon markets
- Fines, levies and taxes on verified emissions and carbon transactions
- Contributions from international climate finance and Paris Agreement mechanisms
A special fiscal/oversight board will govern use of funds. LCIF and related proceeds are prioritized for:
- Rural electrification, clean water and healthcare
- Climate‑resilient infrastructure and digital public goods
- Green‑skills education, TVET and vocational training
- Smallholder agroforestry, biodiversity conservation and reforestation
A long‑term savings rule limits withdrawals to a portion of annual investment returns, preventing depletion through regular budgeting.
Community and Property Rights
The Executive Order affirms community and private rights over carbon assets associated with customary and private lands, enables communities to legally engage in carbon projects under the Community Rights Law, and requires fair attribution of sequestration and emissions‑reduction benefits to communities, individuals and project partners.
Legal Framework and Enforcement
The CMA will operate within Liberia’s EPA Act (2003), Community Rights Law (2009), Land Rights Act (2018), Public Financial Management Act, Revenue Code, Liberia’s NDCs and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement. Within 12 months, the CMA must develop a compliance and enforcement mechanism; in the interim, it may issue provisional suspensions or compliance warnings and refer violations to investigative bodies.
Why It Matters
Liberia’s forests and coastal ecosystems are globally significant for carbon storage and biodiversity. By defining leadership, governance, benefit‑sharing and a registry and investment fund, the order seeks to attract credible investment, protect community rights and channel climate revenues into visible public goods—while anchoring the system in national law and Paris‑aligned safeguards.
The Executive Order remains in force unless amended or replaced by future executive action or legislation.
