[{"bbox": [96, 151, 1134, 206], "category": "Text", "text": "commitment to achieving LDN⁴⁴ and integrating natural capital accounting into policy and planning, have again created momentum for taking action on protecting the Upper Guinean Rain Forest."}, {"bbox": [96, 217, 1134, 325], "category": "Text", "text": "The current support provided for the implementation of the VPA has been instrumental to secure some of the government objectives in the forest sector. However, the VPA process is experiencing some challenges due to the mentioned issues in governance and predominant interests from elites. Additionally, the scope and scale of the needs for institution building is greater than what had been originally anticipated."}, {"bbox": [96, 336, 1134, 549], "category": "Text", "text": "The priority areas for this action are mostly related to the completion and consolidation of what has been initiated under the ongoing support in view to ensure long term sustainability. The Government of Liberia has established the institutional set-up required by the VPA and the system to track and trace timber is operational but does not apply yet to the entire scope of the VPA (such as the Community Forestry). Limited human, technical and financial resources have hampered operations and there are still significant capacity and institutional gaps. This action aims at addressing some of these identified constraints and thus consolidates and builds upon the results reached to date. It would also focus on supporting stakeholders to advocate successfully for the necessary remaining regulatory and policy reforms."}, {"bbox": [96, 560, 1134, 615], "category": "Text", "text": "It is expected that, once the system is fully operational, Government resources generated from the sector will ensure the long-term sustainability of the institutional set up."}, {"bbox": [96, 626, 1134, 784], "category": "Text", "text": "With regard to gender equality and women's and youth's empowerment (in particular persons with disabilities), the 2021 UN Women Gender Country Profile on Liberia identifies a concerning data highlight, sex-disaggregated data on climate change impacts and decision-making processes is not available. Understanding the different impacts of climate change on men and women, as well as their participation in both mitigation and adaptation strategies, is critical since Liberian women are highly vulnerable to environmental hazards, particularly water stress."}, {"bbox": [96, 799, 1118, 854], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**Identification of main stakeholders (duty bearers) and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action:**"}, {"bbox": [96, 863, 1134, 972], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will try to federate the different duty bearers around the forestry and biodiversity sectors in a holistic and integrated way. The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) created with the mandate to sustainably manage and conserve the forests and related resources of the country is the essential actor with its different departments relating to the VPA implementation process and for the biodiversity conservation."}, {"bbox": [96, 983, 1134, 1115], "category": "Text", "text": "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia is the principal authority for implementing the national environmental policy and sustainable management law for the protection of natural resources in Liberia. Liberia's REDD+ Readiness activities are led by FDA and co-led by EPA. The EPA hosts the National Climate Change Steering Committee (NCCSC) and led both the 2021 NDC revision and ongoing natural capital accounting activities."}, {"bbox": [96, 1128, 1134, 1210], "category": "Text", "text": "In the framework of the VPA implementation and to enhance a multisectorial approach, some Ministries and Agencies will be actively involved in the action (Ministry of Justice, Agriculture, Lands, Mines and Energy, Tourism and Liberia Land Authority).⁴⁵"}, {"bbox": [96, 1220, 1134, 1302], "category": "Text", "text": "Civil society remains a very important actor, developing joint actions with the authorities at central and local level, playing an important role on the monitoring of law enforcement and providing support to Community Forest populations."}, {"bbox": [96, 1312, 1134, 1367], "category": "Text", "text": "Private sector will be involved mainly in the forestry sector and also in the touristic sector. Research and Academia will be also be involved with strengthening policy research and evaluation functions."}, {"bbox": [86, 1548, 351, 1573], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴⁴ Land Degradation Neutrality."}, {"bbox": [86, 1572, 1143, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴⁵ December 2021 the Government of Liberia signed MoU for Transparency, Accountability in Forest Sector including Forestry Development Authority (FDA), Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Liberia Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (LEITI) and Ministries of Justice (MoJ) and Internal Affairs (MIA), under the banner Inter-Agency Retreat (IAR)."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1680, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 10 of 33"}]