Bonn, Germany – The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) and national designated authority to the UN Climate Change Adaptation Fund representing Liberia, Nathaniel T. Blama, Sr. has requested the Secretariat of the UN Climate Change Adaptation Fund through United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi, Kenya to assist Liberia access US$10 million.
According to a dispatch from Bonn, Germany, the fund when access, will support vulnerable communities in Liberia to build their resilient to adapt to climate change.
The release noted that during the bilateral discussion, Blama informed UNEP that Liberia`s developmental agenda which is anchored in the pro poor agenda for Development and Prosperity is being hindered by the impacts of climate change.
Such impacts are characterized by the increase threat and destruction of houses in vulnerable coastal communities like West Point, New Kru Town, J. F. K Hospital, Hotel Africa, Buchanan and others by sea erosion;
He also noted that nearly two third of Liberia’s population lives in coastal cities, lamenting that frequent tropical storms in Nimba and Lofa counties destroying homes; caterpillar infestation affecting health, food security and human settlement are amongst some of the impacts of Climate Change in Liberia.
In response, the release added that UNEP, through its representative responsible to coordinate The Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund thanked the EPA boss for the flagging out the issues and assured him that UNEP stands ready at all times to assist developing countries including Liberia to build their resilient against the impacts of climate change.
The request was made on the margin of the on-going UN Climate Change Conference, Bonn, Germany.
The Adaptation Fund is a Fund established under the UN Climate Change Kyoto Protocol to assist developing countries including Liberia to adapt to the harmful effects of climate change. It was established in 2007.