As EPA Executive Director Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Wetlands, Forests, and Coastal Communities
NATIONAL NEWS
Monrovia — Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has warned that although Liberia contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, widespread local environmental degradation is significantly worsening the country’s vulnerability to climate change.
Speaking on state-owned radio ELBC on Monday, Dr. Yarkpawolo said unpredictable rainfall patterns, severe flooding, and rising sea levels are increasingly affecting communities across the country, largely due to harmful environmental practices that have weakened Liberia’s natural defenses.
By: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr- rufusbrooks091@gmail.com
He pointed to unsustainable activities such as wetland destruction, deforestation, illegal logging, unregulated mining, and open charcoal burning as major contributors to the problem.
“Filling swamps for housing, mining without safeguards, and stripping trees for charcoal are leaving communities exposed to stronger winds, erosion, and extreme weather,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said. “These practices are compounding climate impacts far beyond our contribution to global emissions.”
According to the EPA Executive Director, seasonal weather patterns have shifted dramatically, with rainfall now extending into December and January—months traditionally characterized by dry conditions.
He noted that these changes have disrupted agricultural cycles and delayed critical infrastructure projects, including road construction.
Dr. Yarkpawolo further warned that coastal communities such as West Point, Greenville, Robertsport, and Buchanan are facing increasing threats from rising sea levels, which are steadily eroding shorelines and endangering livelihoods.
“Liberia is experiencing the brutal cost of environmental neglect,” he emphasized. “We are not among the world’s largest carbon emitters, yet we are paying a heavy price for the destruction of our ecosystems.”
To address the growing crisis, Dr. Yarkpawolo said the EPA, in collaboration with its partners, is implementing large-scale environmental protection and climate resilience measures.
Among them is a US$10 million interlocking rock barrier project in Sinoe County, aimed at protecting vulnerable coastal areas from seawater intrusion.
He also disclosed plans for a US$10 million national climate information system, which will provide real-time weather data and forecasting to strengthen disaster preparedness nationwide.
In addition, the EPA has intensified enforcement of the “Polluter Pays Principle,” collecting more than US$300,000 in environmental fines in 2025 for various violations.
According to Dr. Yarkpawolo, the funds are being reinvested into climate adaptation and resilience initiatives.
