Essentially, Liberia functions as the world’s third lung, trailing only the Congo basin and the Amazon rainforest,” says Ezekiel Nyanfor, Founder, Liberian Youth for Climate Action. This incredible potential holds promise for the international community, especially as we diligently work to safeguard our primary forests and contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation.

As of 2023, LYCA, in partnership with local communities, has planted over 1,000 cashew, moringa and coconut trees with no sign of slowing down; LYCA aims to plant several thousand more trees in this area. The organization also engages young people in reducing waste in their communities and using these waste materials as fertilizers for tree planting.

Co-founder Kaluki Paul Mutuku, a climate advocate and environmental leader in Kenya, explains that their primary mission is to highlight key demands that need to be addressed in terms of climate financing, supporting youth-led projects in Africa, and ensuring that we contribute to policy processes, with young people recognized not as victims but as co-leaders in the climate and biodiversity space.