The Editor,
Liberia needs an Implementing Environmental Impact Assessment policy (EIA) framework policy in Liberia. The 21st century has empowered environmentalists, governments, and international organizations to place a higher focus on environmental health and safety management.
This has placed importance on prioritizing the concept of environmental management so as to confront our current environmental challenges.
In so doing, the Liberia is yet play a leading role in the establishment of the Environmental Impact Assessment policy (EIA) framework, which is centered on a transparent procedure anticipated to provide policymakers with environmental planning as well as the inclusion of public participation that analyzes the negative and positive environmental impact of a proposed investment or project that seeks to protect the environment and circumvent environmental deprivation.
For example, many companies did not implement the EIA concept that seeks to protect the environment for citizens in our country. As a result, these companies continue to pollute Liberia’s natural environment.
The EIA concept encourages public participation that allows society, government and those concerned to properly assess environmental risks, which may include degradations, air and water pollution which may be associated with the company’s investment project.
Although the EIA has its own flaws, it has shown to be a great policy for environmental protection, adopted by many nations to promote environmental management.
Since the foundation of the EIA and its subsequent adoption into a policy framework by numerous countries has benefited societies and the environment where the concept had been implemented fully.
The EIA implementation process has led to the governments and multinational cooperation to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments in the respective countries because such policy reflects the implementation of Principle 17 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development which allows a government to conduct an Environmental impact assessment, as a national policy when undertaking a proposed activities or major projects such as oil drilling, logging, mining of gold, iron ore and other natural resources that are likely to have a create adverse impact on the environment.
The Liberian government needs to implement a public policy participation process of the EIA that has the propensity to benefit the environment.
This policy action allows environmentalists, public policy makers, community leaders and civil society to raise environmental concerns and work with potential government and international agencies to address such issues of national concern.
The Liberian government needs to conduct an EIA assessment before it passes major concession agreements into law because these assessment reports revealed detailed information on a proposed investment project in low-income communities.
These assessments also expose when there is a propensity to pollute underground water resources or cause environmental pollution as seen in the Freeport community where a company that collects and disposed trash continue to pollute the environment thus creating an unsafe environment for residents.
In such cases, the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia and an established EIA assessment team will have the capacity to work with investors and community leaders to find an alternative to implementing such projects.
Therefore it is important to note that conducting an environmental impact assessment provides an efficient method that allows societies to identify potential problems and evaluate the associated environmental impact, as well as make necessary policy decisions that seek to protect human health.
This action enables the national government to implement treasured environmental policies so as to promote sustainable development and economic growth. Such processes will give Liberia a lead to management it environment and protect the welfare of its citizens.
Emmanuel Logan,
Co-Founder of Environmental Sustainability and Health &Safety Consultants (ESHCON) in Liberia