ROBERTSPORT, Cape Mount – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) over the weekend launched a climate change awareness training program in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County to enhance the adaptation capacities of residents of four counties including Margibi, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa and Montserrado.
Supported by the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Project, the ‘Community Based Adaptation Training Program’ is being implemented by Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The Community Based Adaptation Training Program will include cleaning up exercises and planting of trees in West Point, New Kru Town, Doe Community, SKD Boulevard, Kesseley Boulevard, Soniwhein, Clara Town, Marshall and Buchanan City.
EPA Deputy Executive Director, Randall M. Dabayou said the climate change awareness training is intended for people he considered as ‘grass-rooters’ across the country to understand the significant and impact of climate change.
He stressed the need for people to accept that climate change is real and adapt to it by taking mitigation measures.
Dabayou indicated that Robertsport has great potential to generate resources for Liberia’s development considering its natural scenery, which is inclusive of beautiful beaches, mountains, Lake Piso and the Atlantic Ocean.
Following the launch of the project, Dobayou led a team of government officials, development partners and local community members to plant trees in Robertsport.
He cautioned against falling of trees for coal productions and stressed the need for people to turn to the use of efficient cook-stoves, which were introduced in Liberia under the NAP project.
Dobayou made reference to Philippine, where according to him a group of women are undertaking the planting of mangrove trees, as climate change mitigation project and said “We don’t need to plant mangrove here; all we need to do, is to stop destroying it to dry fish.”
NAP Project Manager, E. Abraham T. Tumbey explained that the Community Based Adaptation Training Program is intended to help communities deal with the effect of climate change.
According to Tumbey, it is now cleared that we are experiencing climate change and noted “that the issue of climate change is here and is affecting everyone”.
SCNL Executive Director, Michael Garbo explained that his group was contracted by the National Adaptation Plan Project to conduct trainings on the benefits and impacts to coastal ecosystems and the urgency for grassroots community action.
The training, according to him is targeting a selected number of volunteers using the CBA’s manual developed by his institution.
“The manual encapsulates information relating to climate change impacts, vulnerability, adaptation, disaster risks management at the community level, community-based approach to building resilience, enabling environments for local actions, and capacity assessment for adaptation planning,” Garbo noted.
He further disclosed that each of the participants recruited under the project will be responsible to plant five trees each and participate in a clean-up exercise.
Garbo lauded the EPA, UNDP and the GCF for supporting the project, which he added will provide some incentives for local people.
Grand Cape Mount County Inspector, Eric V. Pinney was grateful for the selection of Robertsport and assured that the county would support the project. Inspector Pinney, who spoke on behalf of Superintendent Aaron Vincent, acknowledged that climate change was negatively impacting the county and disclosed that an entire community was washed into the ocean some years ago.