GCA joins forces with World Bank to identify climate risk investments and improve flood resilience in Greater Monrovia, Liberia
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otterdam, the Netherlands, 19 May 2022 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) announced today it will be working with the World Bank-financed Liberia Urban Resilience Project (LURP) through the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) to enhance climate resilience and urban living conditions in the Greater Monrovia District and strengthen institutional capacity for sustainable urban management in Liberia.
LURP is financed by the International Development Association (IDA) through a $20 million grant and a $20 million credit. Monrovia is the wettest capital of the world, with an average rainfall of five meters. It already suffers significant flooding, which is compounded by climate change. The predicted sea-level rise of 16cm by 2030 is estimated to put 675,000 people at risk of displacement and threatens 9,500 hectares of land.
GCA will provide technical assistance to LURP to catalyze community engagement in identifying and prioritizing locally led climate adaptation investments, prioritizing nature-based solutions where feasible. GCA will also carry out a climate risk assessment to inform the Greater Monrovia Spatial Development Plan on where to undertake climate adaptation measures. As a result of GCA’s support to this project, approximately 200,000 people will benefit from improved urban living conditions with enhanced resilience to the impacts of climate change. GCA’s role is financed by the AAAP Upstream Financing Facility, which supports incorporating adaptation science and practice into investment programs in Africa.
“Climate change poses a significant challenge to Liberia’s emerging development priorities and the lives and livelihoods of its people. Our work in Greater Monrovia will ensure local communities are protected against flooding and can benefit from upgraded infrastructure as climate change impacts continue to accelerate. It is smarter and cheaper to invest in such adaptation action now rather than paying the price of inaction later on,” noted Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation.
“The project’s support to upgrading urban infrastructure for flood risk resilience and improved service delivery will have a positive transformational impact on urban neighborhoods,” said Khwima Nthara, World Bank Liberia Country Manager.
Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in Rotterdam with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high-level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.
About the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP)
The AAAP, an Africa-owned and Africa-led program, is a joint initiative between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and GCA with the goal of mobilizing $25 billion for adaptation in Africa by COP27. The African Union endorsed AAAP’s two financing mechanisms. The first mechanism is the AAAP Upstream Financing Facility hosted by GCA, which has already influenced $3bn in investment for adaptation in Africa since its inception in 2021. The AfDB administers the second financing mechanism through the climate set aside under the ADF-16 replenishment, which builds on the AfDB’s firm commitment to finance $12.5 billion – half of the AAAP investment target.
