Liberia: Liberia Moves to Make Climate Resilience Mandatory in Infrastructure Development

What the report says

Liberia is moving to require climate resilience in the planning, design and construction of public infrastructure, according to a report by The Liberian Investigator distributed through AllAfrica. The policy push is aimed at reducing damage from heavy rainfall, flooding and other extreme weather that has increasingly affected roads, bridges, drainage systems and other public facilities.

Public Works Minister Roland Layfete Giddings outlined the approach at a side event during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 10. He said Liberia needs to adopt climate-responsive engineering and nature-based solutions from the earliest stages of infrastructure projects, rather than treating resilience as an add-on after design work is complete. The minister also pointed to the country’s very high annual rainfall and the need to account for hydrological risks in major public works.

The report says the Ministry of Public Works has signed a memorandum of understanding with Conservation International to support a green-grid infrastructure approach. That partnership is intended to combine natural systems, vegetation and conventional engineering to improve durability and manage stormwater and erosion. The ministry has also provided technical training for engineers over the past two months to build capacity in applying nature-based methods.

The proposed shift matters because Liberia’s infrastructure has faced recurring strain from flooding and weak drainage. The government says integrating climate risks into projects could extend the life of public assets, reduce repair costs and improve long-term use of public resources.