Summary

• Heavier and less predictable rainfall, intensified by climate change, is combining with clogged drains and construction in wetlands to worsen flooding across Monrovia’s low-lying communities.
• Nearly 20,000 families have been affected, displaced, disrupted schooling, lost income, illness and with 7 deaths as floodwater surrounds their homes and remains for days in two counties.
• Residents want blocked waterways reopened, while officials call for stronger forecasting, better drainage, wetland protection and increased disaster-response funding.

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives

LOFA COMMUNITY, Montserrado County – Paulina Manloh knows the water is coming before she sees it. She has lived in the Lofa community since 2019, long enough to recognize the pattern: rain falls, and within hours the ground around her home disappears beneath brown water.

When the rain is very heavy things get even worse.   

“The water can get full until sometime entering the house,” she said, sitting near the swamp that has come to define six months a year of her family’s life. “So now we’re not able to get outside to go look for food or do other activities.”

Across Monrovia, seasonal flooding is becoming a persistent threat to thousands of families. An estimated 5,950 people in Lofa Community alone are affected by flooding, according to the community leader, while families face displacement, disrupted schooling, lost income, illness and death as floodwater surrounds their homes and remains for days. Scientists and government officials say climate change is bringing heavier and less predictable rainfall to a city already struggling with decades of unplanned growth, clogged drains and weak enforcement of environmental laws.

This year Kawi Badio, director for risk and early warning at the National Disaster Management Agency, the body responsible for coordinating disaster preparedness, emergency response and recovery efforts,  said 19,986  people have already been affected by flooding across Montserrado, and Grand Cape Mount with seven deaths recorded.

Authorities warn that the crisis will worsen unless the government acts. Anthony Saah Tengbeh, chairperson of the Department of Environmental Studies and Climate Change at the University of Liberia, said flooding in Monrovia and its environs is not caused by climate change alone. He said heavier rainfall is colliding with inadequate drainage, blocked waterways, construction on wetlands and poorly planned urban development, leaving fewer places for floodwater to go.

Some families are displaced for a week at a time. Children cannot reach school, and parents cannot reach work. In June, Harris S. Quoiduo, a block leader in the Lofa community estimates that flooding affects about 85 percent of the roughly 7,000 people living across the community’s four blocks. A four-year-old girl drowned after she was swept from a flooded bridge while crossing to find her mother.  

“It makes the community feel very, very sad,” he said. “Just imagine your child was not sick, you left the child home just to go and come back, and then you find out the child drowned.”

For Manloh, the consequences are immediate. She has five children, and when the water rises, their world shrinks to whatever dry ground remains. School stops. Errands stop. Sickness moves in. “It can really make me feel bad,” she said. “You struggle for money, pay your children’s school fees, but the water does not allow them to go to school.”

In Monrovia’s 13th Street community in Sinkor, Lansanah Mbawo, a 25-year-old teacher, described in July a newer version of the same problem. Water near his home no longer drains, he said, after a shop was built over what residents believe was the community’s drainage channel.

“We did not use to walk in water,” Mbawo said. “But now it is not really easy.” He said neighbors have fallen ill after wading through stagnant water to reach food, work or family.

Following repeated complaints to the Ministry of Public Works, the structure was eventually demolished.

A City Built on Water

Much of the damage can be traced to where and how Monrovia grew. “Monrovia was built not for the population that dwells in it today,” said Ansu V.S. Dulleh, the agency executive director. The drainage network installed decades ago was designed for a much smaller city.

As informal settlements expanded into wetlands and swamps, homes, shops and roads blocked the natural routes water once used to escape. “You know the water is very jealous,” Dulleh said. “Once the rain comes down, the water will try to find a way to its original inhabitants.” Until the city redesigns its drainage system and stops construction in wetlands, he said, flooding will continue.

Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency, put it more bluntly: “Monrovia is a sinkhole” – low-lying, where water naturally collects. The EPA can issue fines and enforce wetland protections, he said, but a land-starved population continues to push into swamps that flood every rainy season.

Enforcement is also constrained by limited resources.

Wetland destruction is part of the worsening flooding situation

Tengbeh said wetlands, (also known as mangroves because of the plants that grow there) act as natural storage areas for excess rainwater. But construction on top of them across the city is reducing their ability to absorb floodwater.

“When we build on the wetland, we build in the swamps, the swamp now will not play its role as a sponge.” Then the consequence: “And that excess water that should be absorbed by the swamp will now go to the dry land and now start to cause problem for us.”

But stopping construction in wetlands remains difficult. The EPA depends on police to carry out eviction orders, Yarkpawolo said, and officers can act only when they have sufficient manpower and logistics.

“Monrovia is overcrowded,” Yarkpawolo said. “The land space in Monrovia is not enough.”

Uncollected trash is also a major issue. With no money to hire heavy equipment, residents have tried to clear the clogged waterways themselves, sometimes with their bare hands and without gloves or boots. Quoiduo said the government should send two or three excavators to reopen the channel.

“That is the most important thing,” he said. “Giving an individual money will not help. They will give the money today, you use it, and the next day you experience the same thing.”

Rainfall Is Becoming Harder to Predict

Residents’ sense that the weather is changing is supported by government forecasters. Albert Momolu Sherman, director of meteorological services at the Ministry of Transport, said Liberia’s historical data shows rainfall becoming more intense even as its timing grows less predictable.

“What we used to experience previously, we do not have now,” Sherman said. “It is like two to three days of rainfall falling in a few hours.” Liberia’s drainage systems were not engineered for that intensity, he said.

Tengbeh said researchers at the University of Liberia are studying whether Liberia’s traditional understanding of two seasons still accurately reflects changing weather patterns.

He holds the view that Liberia has more than three seasons, “all we need to do is to take into consideration the climatic condition over a number of years and have consistent data to determine what is happening in our country.”

The country also lacks the computing capacity to model storms independently. Forecasters instead rely largely on international satellite data supplied through the African Union and European Union. That gives them about two or three days’ warning before a major storm.

That is enough time to issue an alert, Sherman said, but not enough to constitute a complete national early-warning system. He said the deeper problem is institutional. Liberia does not have a fully resourced national service. Responsibility for weather-related work is scattered across several ministries.

FrontPage Africa/New Narratives documented suspected corruption and a lack of capacity under the Weah administration that led to four-year delays in the US$10 million Climate Information System project, which was funded by international donors and intended to warn communities about hazardous weather.

The Boakai administration began the work to move the project forward, but it has faced obstacles. “That project also has its activities to make sure that the met service and the hydrological service go autonomous. We still have yet to see that project kicking off fully,” said Sherman.

Living With Standing Water

Still, the broader frustration remains: forecasts are issued, ministries meet and officials visit, but the same low-lying neighborhoods flood year after year. The disaster agency, created in 2016, coordinates the national response but relies on a small, mostly volunteer workforce.

Dulleh said only 30 to 40 volunteers serve nationwide, and the agency’s budget is too small for the scale of the problem. He is pressing the World Bank to help establish a national disaster trust fund.

Flooding is only one of the hazards the agency is tracking. This year, windstorms have also torn roofs from homes in Gbarpolu, Bomi, Bong and Nimba counties. When floodwater does not recede, Dulleh said, disease often follows, creating additional demands for health workers, food assistance and relocation support. “We cannot continue to go in a cycle,” he said. “Every time there is flooding, we move there.”

Residents Want Waterways Clear, Not Money

Residents living with the water say they are not asking first for relief packages or temporary compensation. They want blocked waterways reopened before the next storm.

“When they open the waterway, it will help us,” Manloh said. Residents repeatedly clear the channel near Lofa, she said, only to see it blocked again by new construction. “I want the government to help us open the waterway,” she said. “The main problem is the waterway.”

The worst may not be over. Dulleh said the seasonal forecast points to especially heavy rainfall through September, with Montserrado, Bomi and Lofa counties among the most exposed. Flash flooding has already affected West Point, Clara Town and Doe Community in Monrovia.

No deaths had been confirmed in those communities this season, he said, but families had been displaced and officials were preparing for disease outbreaks linked to standing water.

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia Project. Funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The funders had no say in the story’s content.

Summary

• Scientists warn that a historically severe El Niño – a climate pattern that disrupts weather around the world – could bring erratic rainfall, and severe flooding, extreme heat, fishing and agricultural disruption to Liberia in coming months.
• Experts say the government needs to invest in preparedness strategies now to protect people from to extreme heat and weather in coming months with extreme heat alone predicted to kill 450,000 people globally by February.
• Liberia lacks adequate weather stations and relies heavily on global models, limiting its ability to issue accurate, community-specific warnings and meaning millions of Liberians will be left vulnerable.

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives

The sea off Liberia turns a deceptive shade of calm every year around this time as the rains give way to the dry season – warm, glassy, inviting.

But Nathaniel Blama, Liberia’s former chief environmental regulator, has learned to read that as a warning rather than an invitation.

“When you see the water very warm during that period, it’s time to be afraid because having storm surge, the movement of the current is completely different than normal,” he said. “A lot of people, children, go on the beach. They don’t come back.” Houses and livelihoods are also swept away.

But this year is shaping up to be much worse. New data by climate researchers shows the world is experiencing an exceptionally powerful weather pattern called El Niño—likely the strongest in at least 1,000 years—layered on top of human-caused climate change from burning fossil fuels. This combination means 2027 is expected to be the hottest year ever recorded by scientists.

The climate crisis is already making extreme weather more intense and deadly. Rising heat is now killing one person every minute globally. The El Niño will make this worse, intensifying heatwaves, droughts, and floods across the planet, including Africa. Newly released data from the U.S. based Climate Impact Lab estimates that more than 450,000 people are projected to die globally from the additional heat brought by the super El Niño by February, more than 30,000 in Nigeria alone.

“So, in many places around the world we will see never-before-experienced heat extremes, with all their consequences on health, food security and water stress,” Prof. Friederike Otto of Imperial College London told The Guardian.

In West Africa, where millions rely on rain-fed agriculture, those shifts can be especially damaging. For Liberia, changes in the timing and intensity of rainfall could threaten crops, worsen flooding and increase pressure on already vulnerable communities.

“Farmers could face unreliable rainfall, while hotter, drier conditions threaten crops, water supplies, hydropower and increase the risk of bushfires in places like Wologizi and Foya,” said Isaac Nyaneyon Kannah Teah, a Liberian climate expert.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern that occurs when waters in the Pacific Ocean become unusually warm, disrupting weather patterns across the world. It can shift rainfall, intensify heat and bring drought to some regions while causing heavy rains and flooding in others.

Some experts are calling this a “monster” weather event. Temperatures in the Pacific at the heart of El Niño reached a record 3.05C in September. Forecasts project the warming could peak at about 4 C in November and December. A rise above 2C is classified as a very strong, or “super,” El Niño.

Teah said the full impact of the developing El Niño on the country’s current rainy season, ending this month, remains uncertain, but changes in weather conditions in coming months appear certain.

“El Niño may contribute to a hotter and drier January-to-March dry season, placing pressure on water supplies, agriculture, forests and electricity generation,” Teah said. It could also make the beginning of the farming season less predictable, including false rainfall starts followed by prolonged dry spells that damage newly planted crops.

Nearly seven out of 10 Liberians depend on farming for what they eat, so disrupted rainfall could threaten both food and income. Four in every five Liberians is already facing food insecurity. Just 1.6 percent is irrigated, leaving farmers heavily dependent on the rains.

At Liberia’s Meteorological Service, forecasters are already watching the signal build, but they are severely limited by a lack of sophisticated equipment. “We are not even having a marine weather station to give us the actual sea surface temperature,” said Albert Momolu Sherman, director of Liberia’s Meteorological Service, which operates under the Ministry of Transport. “We normally rely on global models.”

Those global models are consistent enough to worry him. He described how an intensifying El Niño fools farmers into planting too early.

“Farmers think that, ‘Okay, the rainy season has started,’ not knowing that this is just a false start,” Sherman said. Then, once the West African monsoon reasserts itself, the rain that finally does come arrives harder and more suddenly than usual, raising the risk of seedlings being waterlogged and communities swamped by flash flooding in a country whose drainage systems were never built for it.

Unlike other countries in the region, the Liberian government does not have a mechanism for warning Liberians about coming heatwaves and heavy rains. The Meteorological Service publishes a ten-day agricultural bulletin meant to guide farmers’ planting decisions. But reaching the people who need it most – in communities without reliable radio, internet or electricity – depends on partnerships with the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, the National Disaster Management Agency and the Red Cross that have yet to fully materialize.

It should not have been like this. International donors made a fund of $10 million available to establish a warning system six years ago. FrontPage Africa/New Narratives documented the suspected corruption and lack of capacity under the Weah administration that led to four-year delays in the project. The Boakai administration reports that it has got the project moving but it has also faced delays.

Teah said it is still too early to determine its effect on Liberia’s entire 2027 season but even if the farmers are spared, they’ll be hit by impacts elsewhere. Because Liberians depend on imports for 80 percent of their food, they could also face higher food prices as El Nino reduces agricultural production in countries from which we import rice and other foods.

Excessive heat will add another dimension. In addition to impacting farming, heat makes it harder for people to work—farmers, fishermen, and construction workers will tire faster in extreme temperatures, earning less money to buy food. Water sources dry up or become contaminated, spreading waterborne diseases that weaken children’s bodies and make malnutrition even more deadly.

For the millions of Liberians who are already food insecure, already eating less nutritious food because they cannot afford better, an intense heat wave could push families from precarious to catastrophic: crops will fail, prices will spike, work will become impossible, and children will face acute hunger. The rural communities hit hardest by heat—with no air conditioning, limited access to clean water, and no cushion of savings—will be the most vulnerable.

The knock-on effects reach further than the farm gate. St. Paul River which supplies the Mount Coffee Hydropower plant near Monrovia can run low as evaporation increases, threatening the electricity supply. It has already reduced electricity generation in recent years as dry-season water levels in the river fell, contributing to widespread power cuts across Liberia. This coming dry season could be worse.

Offshore, artisanal fishers face a quieter but no less consequential disruption: warming waters altering fish stocks and pushing dangerous sea conditions closer to shore, threatening both catches and the fishers themselves.

Rising heat brings its own toll for humans: heat stress and other health complications for a population with limited access to cooling or medical care. It will be dangerous for the elderly, infants and those weakened by illness.

Experts said the government has a role to play in helping communities prepare for possible weather-related challenges. 

“Closely monitor forecasts from the Liberia Meteorological Service and strengthen preparedness for heat, water shortages, bushfires, agricultural losses and possible flooding,” says Sherman.

The government can also put in measures to save lives including including cooling centers where people can shelter, increased staffing for medical facilities at the hottest times and protections for outdoor workers.

President Joseph Boakai will be immersed in discussion of climate change and the super El Nino during his time at this month’s UN General Assembly. The issue has been a central topic of the meeting with world leaders approving a new declaration to tackle sea level rise with 770 million people live in coastal areas affected by sea level rise. 230,000 Liberians will lose their homes by the end of the century, according to UN models.

Experts said they hope the president comes home from the assembly with a renewed vigor and new ideas to protect Liberians in coming months.

This story was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia Project. Funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The funders had no say in the story’s content.

In an effort to mitigate the increasingly harmful or destructive effects of climate change around the world, including Liberia, a “Strategic Alliance Agreement” has been signed between Interstellar Inc., also known as InterstellarM2M, and WorldTel Corporation.

According to a press statement issued over the weekend, the strategic alliance brings together an expanding team that will use market forces to solve the funding challenges that would ensure tree planting, forest regeneration, and soil health, for sustainable climate friendly agriculture.

The press statement notes that the purpose of the alliance is primarily the development of a “go to” carbon market digital trading platform that allows sellers and buyers of national and global carbon credits an informal voluntary open market place.

The press statement further states that the Alliance Agreement brings together traders, agents, registries, sellers, and buyers to the platform, allowing for the rescaling, tracking, and retiring of each trade. It adds that the software operating system known as “Ceario Trader” has been designed to support international, regional and national climate carbon credits regulations.

It may be recalled that InterstellarM2M signed an innovative tripartite agreement on September 9, 2024, with Liberia Credit Carbon Development and Trading Corporation, LibCarbon.com, and Africa Environmental Watch, aimed at developing “nature solution” under a program to grow “the right trees” to combat climate change.

However, the Chairman for Interstellar Inc., Mr. Gerald F.B. Cooper, has pointed out that “Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or Not for Profit Organizations are not provided with open free market funding to those in need and willing to plant trees to mitigate the climate change problem.”

“Their model, and the mandatory intervention system are outdated and have
failed mankind in solving global warming caused by CO2 and other emission gases since the Kyoto Protocol adoption,” he said.
Mr. Cooper, who is also Chairman of Trinity Agro Corporation, which focuses on environmentally friendly farming, also states, “funding has been challenged to farmers willing to plant the right trees, particularly as mining for minerals and clearing forests to harvest cash crops like cocoa, become more attractive to communities in Africa.”

“This agreement marks an important step in InterstellerM2M’s mission to continue to provide customizable solutions to its clients via combining generational tech through the horizontal technology of “Internet of Things (IoT),” says Shon M. Cooper, visionary, designer and head of R&D at InterstellarM2M. “By working with WorldTel Corporation, we can bring together complementary strengths in technology, connectivity, and customer delivery to create meaningful end to end values for the organizations we serve.”

For its part, WorldTel states that it is pleased to formalize this strategic alliance with InterstellarM2M. Mr. Richard Butler, co-founder and Vice President of WorldTel Corporation states: “Together, we are positioned to deliver integrated solutions that support customers’ evolving communications needs and help them compete in an increasingly connected global carbon credits marketplace.”

InterstellarM2M, located in Reston, Virginia, USA, is focused on helping organizations modernize infrastructure to track assets, register and monitor assets, deploy advanced digital capabilities in monitoring assets, and build resilient platforms for growth.

WorldTel Corporation is a multi-division technology company, co-founded by Messrs Jason Roth and Richard Butler, which is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

The partnership between InterstellaM2M and WorldTel is being announced as the world debated last week at Climate Week NYC 2026, and world leaders at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meet ahead of the UN climate summit (COP31) this coming November.

These international engagements are in line with efforts to mitigate the increasingly harmful and damaging effects of global climate change.

Summary

• Liberia has held its first national coordination meeting to plan implementation of its latest plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming and help millions of Liberians adapt to floods, heat, and devastation wrought by climate change.
• But the plan says only 10 percent of the promised reduction can be financed domestically.
• The money is there. Nearly $300 million has already been approved but sits in global coffers. Experts say the question is whether the government can provide the capacity and the co-financing to unlock it.

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate correspondent with New Narratives

Last year, the Boakai government made an ambitious promise to its people and the world: Liberia would cut emissions of the so-called “greenhouse” gasses that are causing climate change, by 64 percent by 2035, and make the radical adaptation efforts needed to protect the forests, farmers and coastlines that make the country one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable.

The pledge, contained in Liberia’s third Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC 3.0, a requirement of the 2016 global Paris Agreement to halt climate change, was validated at a ceremony in Monrovia in September and submitted to the United Nations. This year, the hard part began.

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency brought together leaders from each of the sectors that are included in the plan along with government ministries, United Nations agencies and development partners to work out how to deliver on the commitments it has made and, importantly, measure it.

“We must move from commitment to implementation, from intention to measurable results,” said Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, the Agency executive director, in his opening remarks. Liberia’s climate progress, “will not only be measured by our commitment written on paper. It will be measured by our ability to translate those commitments into practical actions that improve the lives of our people.”

But behind those ambitious targets lies a sobering reality: Liberia can afford to finance only ten percent of what it has pledged and will rely on international partners for the rest.

Liberia has been here before. The Sirleaf administration submitted its first NDC in 2015, pledging to reduce emissions by 15 percent. The Weah administration submitted its second in 2021, setting a 64 percent emissions-reduction target by 2030.

But an analysis conducted on the Weah administration’s NDC, led by the Environmental Protection Agency, with support from UNDP, found that Liberia had achieved only 20 percent of its targets by 2024.

That failure has had serious implications for international funding. By 2020 the country had secured $US570 million in international climate-finance commitments from global funders, but less than half of that amount was disbursed in large part because of corruption, a lack of capacity and mismanagement on the part of Liberian bureaucrats. In many cases the EPA was trying to appoint Liberians into position for which they did not have the required skills.

FrontPage Africa/New Narratives has documented suspected corruption and lack of capacity under the Weah administration that led to four-year delays in the US$10 million Climate Information System project which would warn communities about hazardous weather, and the US$27 million Monrovia Metropolitan Climate Resilience Project which is intended to protect West Point’s coastline from sea-level rise– just two of the many projects that had been approved.

Hundreds of thousands of Liberians were left without rainfall and temperature warnings over four years that may have saved them from crop failure and flooding. On the coast many homes were swept away that would have been saved had the project proceeded as expected.

But there was some progress documented in the report. Between 2021 and 2024, Liberia reported 105 megawatts of hydropower capacity and 5.6 megawatts of solar-energy production. It also recorded 175 electric vehicles contributing to the NDC’s goal of cutting transport emissions  Nearly 46,000 hectares of forest were restored through natural regeneration on pace to meet its goal of reforesting an average of 12,285 hectares annually through 2030.

A Plan Liberia Cannot Fund Alone

The gap between ambition and capacity runs through nearly every part of NDC 3.0. Implementing the plan will cost as much as US$3 billion by 2035, according to experts. Of the 64 percent emissions reduction Liberia has pledged, only 10 percent are classified as “unconditional,” meaning they can be achieved using the country’s own resources.

In an interview Benjamin S. Karmorh, the EPA’s chief technical adviser and Liberia’s national focal point to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

said the EPA had not completed its assessment to determine the full cost of its commitments, but he warned it would be big.

“For the next nine to 12 months, we will be able to come up with the real cost of our NDC,” he said, adding that implementing the second NDC alone required more than US$400 million.

Karmorh said the Boakai administration had moved quickly to catch up ground lost under the Weah administration where government failure to provide co-financing and meet the project deadlines required of donors blocked the release of global funds. He cited a 20-megawatt solar facility at the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, recently inaugurated to complement the plant’s 88-megawatt hydropower capacity.

He cited President Joseph Boakai’s visit to the Environmental Protection Agency to inaugurate its new headquarters and laboratory as evidence of “the strongest political will on the part of the government in ensuring that the EPA fulfills its mandate.”

The 2026 national budget allocated US$2.9 million to the EPA. It includes US$900,000 that the government is required to provide as co-financing for two initiatives backed by the Green Climate Fund. Louis Kuukpen, Deputy Liberia Representative for the United Nations Development Program, which is implementing the coastal defense project, confirmed to FrontPage Africa/New Narratives that the government had disbursed $800,000 co-financing required for the coastal defense project and progress should be seen soon.

Karmorh said the real evidence of the government’s commitment will come in next year’s budget. “We expect that there will be an increase for the EPA,” Karmorh said. “And with that increment, we expect that we’ll be able to do a lot.”

Lack of Data Collection Capacity Also a Handbrake on Global Funding

If money is the headline problem, data is the quieter crisis—and Yarkpawolo devoted much of his address to it.

“We cannot properly manage what we do not measure,” he told the meeting. “We cannot convincingly report progress without credible and consistent data.”

Without reliable data, he said, Liberia cannot determine where resources are most needed, meet its transparency obligations to the United Nations or make a credible case to international climate funders demanding proof of results.

Yarkpawolo said the sectoral officers responsible for gathering data across ministries—from transport and agriculture to energy—are being asked to work without adequate funding, transportation, equipment or reliable internet access.

“This is not sustainable,” he said.

He appealed directly to Liberia’s international donors to establish a dedicated fund for data collection and reporting, separate from project financing. He said such a fund would support field travel, data systems, training and verification—the less visible infrastructure that makes accountability possible and would allow them to employ Liberians to meet the requirements that would unlock funding.“Our partners should not only finance climate projects,” Yarkpawolo said. “They should also invest in institutions and people responsible for measuring and reporting their results.”

Mobilizing Government Ministries to Meet Climate Targets

Yarkpawolo outlined the EPA’s priorities for the year: finalize a 2026–2027 work plan, validate new coordination tools and reporting templates, and clearly identify which ministry is responsible for providing particular data and when. He said climate reporting is broader than the responsibility of the EPA alone.

“It is not solely an environmental issue,” Yarkpawolo said. “It is a development, economic, social, health, security, and government issue.” Addressing it, he said, will require “a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia Project. Funding was provided by the American Jewish World Service and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The funders had no say in the story’s content.

MONROVIA — ActionAid Liberia has led more than 20 civil society organizations in presenting the Monrovia Climate Declaration to the House of Representatives, calling for debt justice, increased climate financing and stronger action to protect Liberia from the impacts of climate change.

The declaration was presented through the House Committee on Claims and Petitions, chaired by Montserrado County District #8 Representative Prince Toles, following the launch of the National Debt and Climate Audit Report on Liberia.

The report examines Liberia’s growing public debt, estimated at US$2.84 billion, and its implications for national development, public spending, and the country’s ability to respond effectively to climate change.

Presenting the declaration, Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Lawrence Yealue, said the petition was not a protest but a democratic call for action on behalf of citizens across Liberia.

“We have come here today not to protest, but to present a petition that represents the collective voice of civil society organizations and citizens of Liberia,” Yealue said.

He said the declaration is backed by research conducted by ActionAid Liberia and reflects growing concern over the country’s debt burden and the urgent need for policies that promote both debt and climate justice.

Yealue noted that although Liberia continues to meet its debt obligations, the country’s rising debt burden is limiting the government’s capacity to invest adequately in critical sectors, including education, healthcare, roads and other essential public services.

He also highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on Liberia, despite the country’s relatively small contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Yealue, Liberia continues to face serious climate-related challenges, including coastal erosion, flooding, and other environmental threats.

“The countries of the Global North have historically contributed the most to climate change,” he said. “As they continue to ask countries like Liberia to preserve our forests and protect the environment, they must also take responsibility by providing debt relief and increased climate financing. We are not the cause of this crisis, yet we are paying the highest price.”

Yealue urged the Liberian Legislature to take a more active role in advocating for debt cancellation, debt relief, and climate justice. He also said civil society organizations will continue to raise Liberia’s concerns internationally, including at the upcoming COP31 Climate Conference.

“This is a call to action,” Yealue stressed. “Together with ActionAid Liberia and citizens across the country, we are asking our lawmakers to stand with us as we push for fair debt policies, debt relief, and meaningful climate justice.”

Part of National Climate Debt Campaign

The petition forms part of the ongoing National Climate Debt Campaign, launched under the theme, “Who Owes Who? Join the Campaign and Have Your Say.”

The campaign is calling on the Liberian Government and the international community to reduce the country’s debt-servicing obligations and redirect resources toward climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as national development priorities such as education, healthcare, roads, and infrastructure.

The Monrovia Climate Declaration is based on findings from the National Debt and Climate Audit Report, a research initiative conducted by ActionAid Liberia to examine Liberia’s public debt and its implications for climate justice and sustainable development.

Before the declaration was presented to the Legislature, leaders of more than 20 civil society organizations, led by Yealue, formally signed the document to demonstrate their collective commitment to its recommendations and objectives.

The declaration represents a united effort by Liberia’s civil society organizations to amplify the country’s voice nationally and internationally and to push for debt justice, climate justice, and a more equitable and climate-resilient future.

MONROVIA — At a time when Liberia is confronting mounting environmental pressures from illegal mining, deforestation, river pollution and growing threats to its marine ecosystem, a high-level engagement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia and the United States Embassy has underscored a shift toward stronger international cooperation in environmental governance.

By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

The visit Wednesday by a senior delegation from the U.S. Embassy to the EPA headquarters on Wednesday was more than a diplomatic courtesy. It reflected increasing international attention to the country’s efforts to strengthen environmental oversight, improve the management of its natural resources and ensure that economic development does not come at the expense of environmental sustainability.

Leading the American delegation were Tiffany Miller, Senior Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy, and Thomas Quaye, Political and Human Rights Assistant. Their discussions with EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo covered virtually every major environmental challenge confronting Liberia — from illegal mining and concession monitoring to marine biodiversity protection, institutional reform and capacity building.

Throughout the meeting, Dr. Yarkpawolo presented an overview of the EPA’s expanding mandate, emphasizing that environmental protection is no longer viewed solely as a conservation issue but as an essential pillar of national development, public health and economic stability. He stressed that protecting country’s forests, rivers, wetlands and coastal ecosystems is fundamental to attracting responsible investment while preserving the country’s natural heritage for future generations.

One of the most significant issues discussed was the establishment of the Inter-Agency Mining Taskforce, created by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. According to Dr. Yarkpawolo, the taskforce emerged after nationwide environmental compliance inspections conducted by the EPA earlier this year revealed extensive environmental destruction in several mining communities.

The inspections uncovered widespread illegal mining operations, severe land degradation, contamination of rivers and streams, destruction of forest ecosystems and multiple violations of Liberia’s environmental and mining laws. Those findings, combined with separate assessments by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, demonstrated the urgent need for a coordinated government response involving multiple state institutions.

Dr. Yarkpawolo explained that the EPA serves as one of the principal institutions within the taskforce and is providing the technical environmental expertise needed to ensure that enforcement operations comply with national environmental regulations.

He noted that specialized training sessions are being organized to equip taskforce members with a comprehensive understanding of environmental legislation, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) procedures, regulatory standards and sustainable natural resource management practices.

Beyond enforcement, discussions also examined how concession agreements are monitored throughout Liberia. Dr. Yarkpawolo explained that while several government institutions oversee different components of concession operations, the EPA remains responsible for ensuring that every project complies with environmental permitting requirements before implementation.

He emphasized that environmental authorization is not automatic. Whenever communities raise credible concerns regarding environmental damage or the fulfillment of corporate social responsibilities, the EPA works alongside relevant government agencies and affected communities to resolve those concerns before environmental permits are granted.

The Executive Director said this approach seeks to strike a delicate balance between environmental protection and investor confidence, ensuring that Liberia remains both environmentally responsible and economically competitive.

The meeting further addressed recent enforcement operations targeting companies operating without environmental permits. Dr. Yarkpawolo informed the American delegation that several foreign nationals, including Chinese citizens, were arrested after investigations established that their mining activities had caused significant environmental degradation while operating outside Liberia’s environmental regulatory framework.

According to him, those arrests were conducted by the Liberia National Police following formal requests from the EPA, highlighting the growing collaboration between environmental regulators and national law enforcement agencies. He noted that because the EPA has limited enforcement personnel, cooperation with the police remains essential in combating environmental crimes.

He also disclosed that companies suspended for environmental violations are required to undertake comprehensive land restoration and environmental remediation before any consideration can be given to resuming operations. The EPA, he said, is committed not only to stopping environmental destruction but also to ensuring damaged ecosystems are rehabilitated.

Although Dr. Yarkpawolo acknowledged that compliance has improved among many large-scale mining operators, particularly Class A and Class B companies, he expressed concern that numerous Class C mining operators continue to engage in unsustainable practices that threaten forests, waterways and rural communities.

Marine conservation emerged as another major focus of the discussions. With Liberia possessing hundreds of kilometers of Atlantic coastline and rich marine biodiversity, both sides examined the growing threat posed by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign industrial vessels operating within West African waters.

Dr. Yarkpawolo highlighted Liberia’s participation in several international environmental agreements, including the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), explaining that the EPA collaborates closely with the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and the Liberia Maritime Authority on issues relating to marine environmental protection.

Recognizing the increasing sophistication of illegal fishing operations, he appealed for stronger U.S. support in developing Liberia’s fisheries monitoring systems, training environmental professionals and enhancing scientific surveillance of marine ecosystems.

He also called for greater investment in strengthening the operational capabilities of the Liberia Coast Guard, arguing that effective enforcement at sea requires modern equipment, improved surveillance technology and specialized technical expertise.

Institutional strengthening formed another important component of the dialogue. Dr. Yarkpawolo appealed for continued American support to enhance the EPA’s logistical capacity, establish specialized Environmental Courts to expedite environmental cases and deepen technical cooperation between the EPA of Liberia and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

He acknowledged previous assistance from the United States Government, particularly the donation of two Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, describing the support as instrumental in expanding the EPA’s nationwide environmental compliance inspections and enforcement activities.

Following the discussions, the American delegation toured the EPA’s recently acquired headquarters, visiting the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Unit and the Agency’s modern Environmental Laboratory. Officials demonstrated how advanced mapping technologies, scientific testing and laboratory analysis are strengthening environmental monitoring and evidence-based decision-making throughout Liberia.

Tiffany Miller praised the EPA’s leadership for its commitment to environmental protection and institutional reform. She reaffirmed the United States Government’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s efforts to improve environmental governance, strengthen institutional capacity and promote sustainable development.

Summary

• Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency says it uncovered an unlicensed gold mine allegedly using the toxic chemical cyanide without permits, leading to a shutdown and the arrest of 20 Chinese nationals. The mine, Green Forest Mining denies the allegations.

• The investigation began after a university student detected cyanide in a water sample, with inspectors tracing to a mine in Todee District, that the Agency had ordered to shut down a few months earlier.

• Agency chief Yarkpawolo has warned the case has shown the limits of his underfunded agency to curb the rapid expansion of illegal mining.

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives

GEORGE MOKO TOWN, Montserrado County – When the Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo stepped onto the sprawling mining site here in Todee District, he was stunned by what he saw.

Before him lay acres of freshly cleared forest, excavators still at work, and, he said, the dangerous chemical cyanide being used without the environmental permits required under Liberian law.

“These people are carrying on what seems to be Class A mining (a large-scale mining) without any environmental permits,” Yarkpawolo said of the company Green Forest Mining. “They are using cyanide, and those chemicals are leaching directly into the water,”.

Experts say the raid has become one of the clearest tests yet of Liberia’s ability to regulate a fast-expanding mining sector increasingly powered by foreign investment and heavy machinery. What the EPA uncovered that day, as told to FrontPage Africa/New Narratives, was the culmination of a lucky find by a university student undertaking research as part of his degree, and not the work of a robust monitoring system employed by the government.

As the Agency chief warned himself, the case exposes the limits of Liberia’s environmental enforcement system, where a shortage of inspectors, weak enforcement powers, and slow permitting processes have left regulators struggling to keep pace with illegal mining, and communities questioning who will protect their land and water.

Looking across the destroyed landscape, a visibly angry Yarkpawolo abandoned the language of bureaucracy.

“This is unacceptable,” he said. “You don’t behave like that. In China, you don’t behave like this.”

Lucky laboratory discovery reveals an illegal operation

Before the company started mining nearby in 2025 the creek here sustained this quiet farming community here in Todee District for generations, families drew drinking water from it, bathed in it, washed their clothes and caught fish to feed their households.

Today, the fish are gone, the water has turned murky, and fear has replaced routine.

“We don’t get no water,” said Lorpu Philip, the town chief’s wife, summing up the hardship that residents say began after a Chinese-owned mining company expanded its operations nearby.

“When we say it’s the chemicals, they will say no,” said Town Secretary Julius Lekpele who complained to the company. “But right now, no fish in the water. You can’t see crayfish or crab.”

The community grew frustrated over the water pollution. Unknown to the community a university student doing research for his degree was quietly taking samples of their water. Several of the Agency’s managers serve as lecturers at the University of Liberia and other higher education institutions so students routinely use their lab for testing. Earlier this year a student found something concerning.

“One student’s analysis — we saw cyanide,” Yarkpawolo said. He will not identify the student, for fear of retaliation, but he said, the Agency quickly followed up. “We asked the student where this sample came from.”

The answer led investigators to Todee District, where the EPA had already ordered a smaller mining operation shut down months earlier. When inspectors returned, they found something very different.

“Behold, they had actually expanded,” Yarkpawolo said, surprised at how little regard the company had for the Agency’s authority.EPA investigators found extensive land clearing and what they described as Class A-scale mining activity, with active operations continuing despite the absence of environmental permits or approvals governing chemical use or wastewater discharge.

A closure order ignored

Yarkpawolo said inspectors initially chose the administrative route. The EPA identified itself, ordered operations halted, and removed the keys from heavy equipment. But within hours, according to the agency, the machines were running again.

“As soon as we left, we got intelligence. We verified that they had resumed active work even though we put a halt order.”

Because the EPA has no authority to make arrests, Yarkpawolo requested police assistance. The following morning, EPA inspectors returned with armed officers from Monrovia. They arrested 20 Chinese nationals and the over to police for investigation.

Yarkpawolo said the company had failed to obtain multiple approvals required before conducting large-scale mining. Investigators found no environmental permit, no approved Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, no authorization governing chemical discharge, and no licensing covering the importation and management of hazardous chemicals.

The permitting process requires field inspections, environmental assessments, reviews of chemical management plans, and consultations with affected communities before approval is granted. “In this case we didn’t really see any of that.”

President Joseph Boakai has established a national taskforce to crack down on illegal mining, citing growing concern over widespread environmental destruction caused by unlicensed operations, many of them Chinese.

It followed reports of river diversion, deforestation, contaminated waterways, and the illegal use of hazardous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide. The new “Protect Our Resources Taskforce” is mandated to investigate illegal mining, seize equipment, and support the arrest and prosecution of offenders.

Why cyanide is controlled and dangerous

Cyanide is widely used in industrial gold mining, but it comes with risks. “If cyanide is improperly discharged into water, it can kill fish,” Yarkpawolo said. “Cyanide is a poison. That’s why it’s highly regulated.”

He said properly operated mines using cyanide require storage facilities capable of containing and treating contaminated waste before water is released back into the environment. Investigators found no such system at the Todee operation. For the EPA, that was the central concern — not simply that cyanide was present, but that it was allegedly being used without the infrastructure required to manage it safely.

The company denies it was using cyanide and blames slow government permitting

Green Forest Mining disputes the EPA’s findings.

“We’re not using water. We don’t mine in water,” said Chris Zanga, the company’s public relations officer. “How can we pollute water? That is not true.”

Zanga said the company had applied for a Class B permit in July of last year but did not receive a response before equipment was deployed to the site. He said Green Forest Mining later paid a US$30,000 fine to the EPA through the Central Bank of Liberia, and a separate US$50,000 payment to the Ministry of Mines and Energy connected to its mining license.

Regarding cyanide, Zanga denied the water was polluted and said the company was waiting to see the laboratory results from the EPA.

“Nobody can tell me what kind of chemical it is until the EPA tells us exactly,” he said.

He also pointed to community projects that company had undertaken— including building wells and hand pumps, palaver huts, and to a memorandum of understanding it claimed to have with local leaders — as evidence the company had acted responsibly. “We’re not doing anything illegal,” he said.

Residents say no company interventions have solved their water problem

Resident Bendu Sackie conceded the company installed a hand pump, but said that has done little to solve the community’s water crisis. She said the pump rarely produces enough water, forcing families to spend hours searching for water or buying drinking water despite living in a rural community surrounded by streams.

Residents said they have never seen scientific evidence confirming their creek was contaminated. What convinced them was what they witnessed over time: fish floating dead, water turning murky. So when the Environmental Protection Agency shut down the mining operation and arrested 20 Chinese nationals, many in George Moko Town said they welcomed the intervention.

“We want the government to come to our rescue,” Sackie said. “Since this company came here, they have not done anything good for us. We are suffering.”

Julius Lekpele, the town secretary, said the government’s action should not end with the arrests.

“Let them continue arresting them until they pass through the proper channel,” Lekpele said. “If they don’t follow the proper process, let the government continue taking action. We are human beings too. We deserve to live.”

A discovery exposes systemic failures  

Yarkpawolo said the case highlights broader weaknesses in Liberia’s environmental enforcement system. The EPA has only a handful of inspectors assigned to monitor the entire country and depends on the Liberia National Police to enforce closure orders because it lacks arrest powers.

He said the agency is pushing for tighter regulation of excavator imports, arguing that heavy machinery has allowed small operators to cause damage on the scale of industrial mines. It is developing a mine reclamation bond that would require companies to set aside funds for environmental restoration before beginning operations.

“You created damage,” Yarkpawolo said. “You are responsible.”

For now, the Todee operation remains closed while the EPA’s compliance process continues. The agency says no mining can resume until environmental requirements are met. The company says it is waiting for clearance.

Meanwhile, residents of George Moko Town continue to wait for answers about the water flowing past their community and whether the damage they believe they witnessed can be reversed.

This story was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of the Investigating Liberia Project. Funding was provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The funders had no say in the story’s content.

MONROVIA – The Young Liberian Women Organization for Improvement (WOFIM), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched an emergency intervention to address the growing drinking water crisis affecting residents of Bassa Point in Grand Bassa County’s District One.

The initiative follows an urgent appeal from community members who reported that hundreds of residents have been relying on untreated creek water for drinking and household use due to the absence of safe water facilities.

According to WOFIM, an assessment team recently visited the coastal community to inspect drinking water sources and collect samples for laboratory analysis.

The organization said the results of the water quality assessment are expected to be released publicly in the coming weeks.

The emergency response is part of WOFIM’s broader community-based conservation and ecotourism project being implemented in partnership with the people of Bassa Point.

Stakeholders Discuss Community Needs

Earlier, on June 4, WOFIM convened a one-day stakeholders’ meeting at the EPA headquarters in Monrovia, bringing together representatives from government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, academia, the media, and community leaders.

Participants included officials from the EPA, the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia, the U.S. Embassy, the Liberia National Tourism Association, the University of Liberia’s Forestry and Ecotourism Department, and other stakeholders.

The meeting featured presentations from professionals participating in the U.S. Department of State’s Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Program and WOFIM Executive Director Kona S. Kollie.

Community representatives also shared firsthand accounts of the challenges confronting Bassa Point, highlighting the urgent need for improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), healthcare, education, transportation, and other essential public services.

Residents Depend on Creek Water

One of the major concerns raised during the meeting was the community’s dependence on creek water for drinking.

Community leaders demonstrated how residents collect water from nearby running creeks before filtering it through sandbags in an attempt to remove impurities.

According to residents, Bassa Point has never had access to safe drinking water since the community was established.

Beyond the water crisis, community members reported the absence of a police station, marketplace, vocational education center, and other critical infrastructure, warning that continued neglect could deepen public frustration.

Conservation and Tourism Project

WOFIM said the emergency water assessment aligns with the Government of Liberia’s “WASH for All” agenda while complementing its conservation and ecotourism initiative titled “From Potential to Prosperity: Advancing Economic Development and Cultural Appreciation Through Tourism in Grand Bassa County.”

The project is being implemented through the Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Program led by WOFIM Executive Director Kona S. Kollie, a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow.

According to the organization, the initiative seeks to protect coastal and mangrove ecosystems, monitor water sources in collaboration with the EPA, train women and youth as eco-tourism guides, develop eco-trails and a community visitor center, and promote tourism as a tool for local economic development and poverty reduction.

Revenue generated through tourism, WOFIM said, would support investments in safe drinking water, healthcare, education, sanitation, and other community priorities.

Appeal for Support

WOFIM is appealing to donors and development partners to support the implementation of the proposed Bassa Point Conservation and Ecotourism Plan.

The organization says additional funding would enable it to expand access to safe drinking water, create employment opportunities, strengthen environmental conservation, and improve living conditions for residents.

WOFIM also expressed appreciation to the EPA for collaborating on the emergency water assessment and for supporting discussions aimed at integrating environmental protection with sustainable tourism development.

The organization reaffirmed its commitment to working with government and development partners to safeguard Liberia’s water resources while promoting sustainable tourism and community development in Grand Bassa County.

MONROVIA – The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, has renewed his call for stronger collaboration among government institutions, lawmakers, local authorities, security agencies, and communities to confront the growing threat posed by illegal mining. Dr. Urey warned that failure to act collectively could have lasting consequences for Liberia’s environment and future generations.

By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

Appearing Wednesday before the House Committee on Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment at the House of Representatives, Dr. Yarkpawolo warned that Liberia’s environment is under serious pressure from illegal mining, uncontrolled logging, and other destructive activities. He stressed that protecting the environment requires a coordinated national effort.

The hearing focused on three key areas, including findings from the EPA’s nationwide environmental assessment tour, environmental challenges affecting communities across the country, and input on proposed environmental legislation currently before the House of Representatives.

Dr. Yarkpawolo outlined several major environmental concerns identified by the EPA, including widespread environmental degradation, indiscriminate tree felling, damage caused by artisanal mining, pollution of rivers, and rapid deforestation.

The environment belongs to all of us. The proper use of our environment will save humanity,” he emphasized.

The EPA Executive Director also raised concerns over the use of mercury in artisanal gold mining. He explained that mercury contaminates rivers and streams, accumulates in fish consumed by humans, and can cause serious health problems, including neurological and cognitive disorders.

He disclosed that the EPA has established a laboratory with trained chemical handlers to monitor and analyse chemical contaminants in the country, ensuring that authorities understand pollution levels and can respond appropriately.

Referring to the EPA’s 2024 report, Dr. Yarkpawolo noted that numerous illegal foreign miners, particularly Burkinabè nationals, were identified operating in Liberia’s mining sector.

While acknowledging that the EPA has imposed fines on companies for environmental violations, he stressed that penalties alone are insufficient.

“Fines are not the solution. Environmental restoration is the key,” he stated.

Sharing findings from the EPA’s 2026 nationwide tour, Dr. Yarkpawolo revealed the widespread illegal use of excavators by operators without the required permits. He explained that many Class B and Class C mining operators are either operating without licenses or using heavy machinery beyond what their licenses permit.

He further noted that cyanide, which is legally reserved for Class A mining operations, is increasingly being used by small-scale miners, posing significant environmental and public health risks.

To address these challenges, the EPA is introducing a national excavator registration and tracking system. According to Dr. Yarkpawolo, the agency plans to register all excavators entering the country, identify their importers, and install GPS tracking devices to monitor their movements and discourage illegal mining activities.

He added, “Our objective is not to discourage responsible investment in Liberia’s mining sector. We want mining activities that respect environmental standards, protect public health, and contribute to sustainable national development. By working together, we can ensure that Liberia benefits from its mineral resources without sacrificing the environment that sustains present and future generations.”

He urged stakeholders to move beyond narratives of “the rich versus the poor” and instead work collectively to protect Liberia’s natural resources through stronger laws, enforcement, and responsible environmental stewardship. He also made recommendations regarding proposed amendments to existing environmental legislation currently before the House.

He said, “The EPA is committed to enforcing the law, but enforcement alone will not solve this problem. We need stronger collaboration among government agencies, lawmakers, local authorities, security institutions, traditional leaders, and communities because environmental protection is a shared responsibility that demands collective action and unwavering commitment.”

Dr. Yarkpawolo further stressed that the fight against illegal mining cannot be won by the EPA acting alone, emphasizing that effective collaboration between the Ministries of Mines and Energy, Justice, Internal Affairs, the Liberia National Police, county administrations, traditional leaders, and affected communities is essential to dismantle illegal mining networks that continue to destroy forests, wetlands, and water bodies across the country.

“Illegal mining is no longer simply an environmental concern; it is becoming a national development challenge that threatens our rivers, forests, agricultural lands, and the livelihoods of thousands of Liberians. Unless every relevant institution works together with determination and urgency, the damage being done today will become far costlier to reverse tomorrow.”

He also urged lawmakers to support the EPA with stronger legal instruments and adequate budgetary allocations, noting that environmental inspectors often face enormous logistical and operational challenges while attempting to monitor remote mining sites.

According to him, strengthening the agency’s institutional capacity would significantly improve compliance with environmental regulations and ensure that violators are held accountable.

Dr. Yarkpawolo said environmental protection should be viewed as an investment in Liberia’s long-term economic prosperity rather than an obstacle to development. He explained that preserving forests, rivers, and biodiversity would not only safeguard public health but also sustain agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and other sectors that depend on healthy ecosystems for continued growth.

The EPA Executive Director further called on mining companies, civil society organizations, development partners, youth groups, and local communities to become active partners in environmental conservation. He said lasting success would depend on public awareness, responsible mining practices, and collective ownership of Liberia’s natural resources, stressing that every citizen has a responsibility to protect the country’s environment for future generations.

MONROVIA – The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo, has called on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Liberia to embrace climate-smart business practices, declaring that the country’s climate agenda cannot be achieved by government alone but requires strong participation from the private sector.

By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

Speaking Tuesday during the opening of a four-day workshop on Aligning MSME Business Practices with Liberia’s National Climate Goals (NDCs) at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce on Capitol Hill, Dr. Yarkpawolo said Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) should serve not merely as an international commitment but as a practical blueprint for economic transformation, investment, innovation, and sustainable job creation.

The four-day engagement brings together representatives of government ministries and agencies, development partners, the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, business associations, civil society organizations, financial institutions, and owners of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The workshop is being held over two days in Monrovia before continuing for another two days in Buchanan, where participants will further examine opportunities for integrating climate resilience into business operations.

Dr. Yarkpawolo said the workshop comes at a critical time as Liberia continues to face increasing climate-related challenges that threaten economic development and the livelihoods of ordinary citizens. He stressed that climate change has become a major business concern affecting virtually every productive sector of the national economy.

“Our Nationally Determined Contribution must not remain only a government document submitted to the international community. It must  become a practical national investment guide, a business opportunity framework, and a tool for creating jobs, strengthening livelihoods, encouraging innovation, and building national resilience,” Dr. Yarkpawolo declared.

The EPA Executive Director emphasized that flooding continues to damage roads, markets, and commercial infrastructure, while coastal erosion threatens communities and private investments. He added that changing rainfall patterns have negatively affected farmers, processors, and traders, while rising energy costs and poor waste management continue to reduce business productivity and competitiveness throughout the country.

He noted that although MSMEs form the backbone of Liberia’s economy by creating employment opportunities, supporting families, and promoting entrepreneurship, many remain highly vulnerable because they lack access to affordable financing, insurance, climate information, resilient infrastructure, and modern technology.

“Climate change is no longer simply an environmental issue. It is a business issue, an investment issue, and an economic issue. The success of Liberia’s economy will depend on how well our businesses prepare themselves to adapt and thrive in the face of climate risks,” he said.

According to Dr. Yarkpawolo, Liberia’s NDC 3.0 outlines an ambitious pathway for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening resilience across sectors including agriculture, forestry, energy, transport, waste management, fisheries, health, water, sanitation, education, gender, and youth development.

He disclosed that Liberia has committed itself to reducing economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 64 percent by 2035, with 10 percent to be achieved through domestic efforts and the remaining 54 percent depending on international climate financing, technology transfer, capacity building, and strategic partnerships.

“Government alone cannot achieve these targets. We need financial institutions, municipalities, cooperatives, transport operators, waste collectors, farmers, solar companies, clean cooking enterprises, women-led businesses, youth entrepreneurs, and every MSME to move

from observing climate policy to implementing climate action,” Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized.

The EPA Executive Director further highlighted numerous business opportunities available under the national climate agenda, including investments in solar energy systems, mini-grids, clean cooking technologies, climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, resilient seed production, organic fertilizers, food processing, waste recycling, composting, cleaner transportation systems, forestry restoration, water supply, sanitation services, and environmentally friendly enterprises.

He explained that these opportunities are not theoretical concepts but practical investment areas capable of creating employment, reducing production costs, expanding markets, and contributing directly to Liberia’s sustainable development objectives.

Dr. Yarkpawolo also encouraged MSMEs to strengthen their record-keeping and performance monitoring systems, noting that climate finance increasingly depends on measurable results. He urged businesses to document energy savings, waste management activities, emissions reductions, employment creation, and services delivered to communities as part of efforts to qualify for climate financing opportunities.

“Businesses that understand climate risk and embrace sustainability will be better positioned to survive, grow, compete, and attract investment. What is not measured is often not financed, which is why documentation and accountability must become central to every climate-smart enterprise,” he added.

Declaring the workshop open, Dr. Yarkpawolo reaffirmed the EPA’s commitment to working closely with the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, government institutions, financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector to create an enabling environment where businesses can access technical support, affordable financing, clean technologies, and expanding markets for green products and services.

He urged participants to use the four-day workshop to identify practical business models, financing mechanisms, and policy solutions that will strengthen Liberia’s climate resilience while promoting inclusive economic growth driven by the country’s private sector.