The Government of Liberia has officially launched the Carbon Markets Authority (CMA), marking a significant policy shift aimed at unlocking climate finance and monetizing the country’s vast natural resources. Speaking at the Ministry of Information press briefing on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer of the CMA, Jeanine Cooper, described the development as the beginning of a transformative era in Liberia’s environmental governance.
“Liberia is a carbon sink nation,” Amb. Cooper declared, emphasizing that the country’s forests and ecosystems absorb more carbon than they emit. She noted that Liberia’s environmental stewardship has long contributed to global climate stability and stressed that the country must now derive sustainable economic value from its natural capital.
“It is time that Liberia not only protects its natural capital for global benefit, but also benefits economically in a sustainable way,” she said. The CMA was established under Executive Order No. 155, signed in October 2025 by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. According to Cooper, the Executive Order outlines a structured transition toward comprehensive legislation to formally establish the Authority, ensure full operationalization aligned with the national development agenda, and integrate Liberia into global climate finance systems.
The CMA will serve as the country’s central body for carbon market development, policy coordination, and oversight of market participation. It will also ensure compliance with international climate frameworks, including the Paris Agreement, thereby enabling Liberia to participate more actively and sovereignly in global carbon trading and emissions reduction initiatives.
She believes the creation of the CMA will enhance transparency, strengthen accountability, and boost investor confidence in Liberia’s emerging carbon market sector. Beyond forest carbon, the CMA will also host the Liberia Blue Economy Secretariat, expanding the country’s climate strategy to include ocean resources, coastal ecosystems, fisheries, marine biodiversity, and inland water systems. Amb. Cooper said the initiative is designed to integrate marine and coastal natural capital into Liberia’s broader climate finance framework, positioning the country as a regional leader in both green and blue economy development.
Structured as a Special Revenue Fund and sovereign climate finance vehicle, the CMA will mobilize and manage carbon market revenues as bankable national assets. Amb. Cooper disclosed that the long-term objective is to access international capital markets and secure a sovereign credit rating, a move that could pave the way for the issuance of green and blue bonds.
With the launch of the Carbon Markets Authority, Liberia is seeking to reposition itself within the global climate finance architecture not merely as a conservation partner, but as a sovereign participant deriving measurable economic value from its environmental assets. The CEO highlighted that in the coming months, the CMA will focus on stakeholder engagement, legislative development, and institutional strengthening to ensure the Authority’s full operationalization. Courtesy By Masiame Konneh/ELBE Radio
