(December 5, 2025; Monrovia, Liberia): NDMA’s Head of Legal Affairs, Atty. Mrs. Ellen Ziah-Nimley was a member of the Liberian delegation that travelled to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 30th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, a historic gathering dedicated to accelerating global climate action and securing a sustainable future for all.
It brought together world leaders, negotiators, scientists, civil society groups, Indigenous communities, youth representatives, and private-sector partners to assess progress under the Paris Agreement and to adopt strengthened measures to confront the escalating climate crisis. This year’s conference focused on closing ambition gaps, increasing climate finance, protecting vulnerable nations, and ensuring a just and equitable transition toward low-emission, climate-resilient development.
Meanwhile, since COP30 represented an opportunity for governments, institutions, and communities worldwide to move from pledges to implementation and to honor the commitments necessary to safeguard our planet, Atty. Mrs. Nimley diversified her responsibilities to ensure that the NDMA follows up on key discussions such as:
1. Strengthening Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Encouraging Parties to submit more ambitious 2035 targets aligned with the 1.5°C pathway.
2. Scaling Climate Finance: Delivering on long-promised financial support, including adaptation funding and new mechanisms for loss and damage.
3. Protecting Forests and Biodiversity: Highlighting the critical role of the Amazon rainforest and other global ecosystems in maintaining climate stability.
4. Advancing Just Transitions: Ensuring that climate policies promote equity, protect workers, and uplift the most climate-vulnerable populations.
5. Accelerating Clean Technology Deployment: Mobilizing innovation in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and resilient infrastructure.
At the meeting, all Parties were called to demonstrate ambition, responsibility, and unity. COP30 was not only a conference, but also, it was a global turning point. The decisions made there will shape the climate trajectory for decades to come. The UNFCCC has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all nations in implementing their climate obligations and to ensuring that no country or community is left behind in this decisive decade of action.
The NDMA;s participation at COP30 was exceptional and considered one in a few from members of a Liberian delegation at any UN Climate Change Conference. The Agency continues to play its cardinal role of coordinating and managing disaster risks while maximizing the potential of its technocrats and securing prospects envisioned.