Frontline of the Fight: Why Youth Climate Movements in Liberia and the Global South Need Urgent Support

In slums across Paynesville, on the shores of West Point, and within classrooms in Robertsports, Gbarnga and Buchanan, a new generation of Liberians is rising — not with weapons, but with planting tools, placards, and policy briefs. These are the young climate leaders of Liberia, part of a growing wave of youth activism sweeping across the Global South. And while their courage is clear, their challenges are immense.

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By Teddy P. Taylor, contributing writer

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Youth-led climate movements across Liberia and other developing nations are gaining momentum as young people mobilize to combat the devastating impacts of climate change. They are cleaning up communities, planting trees, conducting awareness campaigns, and even participating in global negotiations. But despite their energy and innovation, they remain under-resourced and often ignored in decision-making spaces.

Liberian Youth Are Taking Action

Across the country, youth groups are taking action at the grassroots level. Organizations such as Liberian Youth for Climate Actions, Youth Go-Green Network, Center for Youth Leadership and Environmental Studies, Climate and Environmental Protection Initiative of Liberia, Eco-Guidance Inc., the Youth Climate Change Initiative – Liberia, For Beach Liberia, just to name a few are spearheading monthly clean-up drives, environmental education programs, and campaigns against illegal logging and plastic pollution.

“Climate change is not just a future issue — we are already experiencing it through flooding, coastal erosion, and extreme heat,” says Mardea Awotwe, a young Liberian environmentalist who recently represented Liberia at the UN climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany. “Young people in Liberia are already acting, but we cannot do it alone.”

In regions like Grand Bassa and Rivercess, rural youth are mobilizing to preserve forests and protect biodiversity. Yet many of these initiatives lack the funding, training, and recognition needed to scale up their efforts.

The Struggles of the Global South

Liberia is not alone. From Senegal to Samoa, youth across the Global South face systemic challenges in their climate activism. Limited access to funding, language barriers, poor internet infrastructure, and restricted access to international forums continue to limit the impact of their works.

Young people often bear the brunt of climate disasters, especially in vulnerable communities with poor infrastructure and weak governance. Yet when climate policies are drafted — whether nationally or globally — their voices are too often minimal or sometimes absent at the international level due to funding challenges, despite the continuous support from the Government of Liberia through the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia.

The Case for Investment

Youth are not just calling attention to the climate crisis — they are developing real solutions. In Liberia, youth-led innovation encompasses the use of recycled plastic to create eco-bricks, transforming agricultural waste into charcoal briquettes, and launching social media campaigns to raise awareness about climate justice and sustainability.

What these initiatives need is targeted support:
– Accessible climate finance for youth-led projects;
– Training in environmental science, policy advocacy, and entrepreneurship;
– Representation in local and international decision-making platforms;
– Safe and inclusive spaces for activism, especially for young women and marginalized youth;
– Technical support and digital tools to amplify their impact.

Liberia’s Role in Global Youth Climate Leadership

Despite the challenges, Liberia has a growing reputation in youth climate leadership. Young Liberians have increasingly taken part in international forums, from UNFCCC climate negotiations to regional African Union youth summits. This presents an opportunity for the country to become a champion of youth-led climate action.

The Government of Liberia, private sector actors such as ArcelorMittal, and international development partners must recognise this potential and increase investment in youth-driven climate solutions. Schools, community groups, and traditional leaders should also foster youth environmental education and engagement at the local level.

Empower the Present to Secure the Future

The climate crisis is not tomorrow’s problem. It is today’s emergency, and young people in Liberia and across the Global South are already responding. What they need now is not more applause, but real and sustained support.

If Liberia is to build a climate-resilient future, it must do so with its young people, not as passive beneficiaries, but as empowered leaders. The rest of the world must also listen and act. The solutions born in Paynesville, Kakata, and Harper may well inspire the world.

Teddy P. Taylor is a dynamic leader championing climate education, youth empowerment, and ecosystem resilience in Liberia. As a linchpin in both national and international climate forums—particularly under the umbrella of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), Freshwater Ecosystems Protection and conservation—he has strengthened Liberia’s global climate presence and driven strategic initiatives in climate education, freshwater protection, and youth engagement.