Front Page Africa
Aug 27, 2024
Stakeholders discussed multi-level climate governance, the threat of illegal mining, and Liberia's NDC commitments at a two-day climate action forum in Gbarnga, Bong County.
Article by J. H. Webster Clayeh, published in Front Page Africa on August 27, 2024. See the original article here.
Gbarnga – As part of efforts to strengthen strategies to address climate change in Liberia, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from Environmental and Climate Change Canada through NovaSphere on Thursday 22 August 2024 ended a two-day climate action forum in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The two-day forum brought together national and international climate change experts, key stakeholders from line ministries including the Superintendents and County Development Officers from the 15 Counties. Participants at the Two-day Forum Posed for a Picture.
The forum also sought to establish more efficient and effective climate Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems and to mobilize investments and accelerate priority mitigation actions to achieve Liberia’s quota of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to address climate change. The forum is part of activities under the West Africa MRV Climate Action Implementation and Governance in Liberia, Togo, Ghana, and the Gambia.
In a welcome remark, the Bong County Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris said climate change is a harsh reality that requires a holistic approach. Madam Norris called for increased support to local authorities to tackle climate change in various counties.
Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (2EPA) called on local leaders to integrate climate actions into their county development agendas. Dr. Yarkpawolo said the accelerating pace at which climate change is negatively affecting Liberia demands concerted actions from stakeholders in all sectors.
He acknowledged the support of international partners and argued that there is still a need to mobilize climate finance and ensure a strengthened climate governance. While Liberian laws do not robustly address climate change, the country is a signatory to numerous international climate instruments such as the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
Dr. Yarkpawolo alarmed that there are illegal mining activities ongoing in the counties that require the collaborative support of concerned line ministries and law enforcement bodies. He pointed out that miners in most remote counties are using chemicals such as mercury and dredges to mine gold, destroying water bodies and leaving behind huge pits in the process.
“Mercury is a long-lasting chemical that can affect all of us. For example, when we mine gold using mercury, the mercury spreads in the water, thereby affecting the fish which we consume daily. This is dangerous because mercury has the potential to damage our kidneys, cause deafness, blindness, and cause our mothers to give birth to children with brain problems. There is a need to ban the use of mercury.” The EPA boss exclaimed.
He told the various Superintendents and County Development Officers that the EPA has received rumors that local authorities in the counties contribute to the detrimental use of mercury by shielding those who use them with their power at that level.
He called for a robust and collaborative effort to prosecute illegal miners and those using harmful substances to protect the environment. Dr. Yarkpawolo added that illegal mining and the use of harmful chemicals injure Liberia’s efforts towards its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to reduce climate footprints by 64% by 2030.
The EPA Executive Director also told the forum that Liberia is currently benefiting from a partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada through NovaSphere to receive technical and financial support from the Canadian Government to reduce or remove all obstacles that impede the Country’s desire to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Agreement.
He disclosed that the EPA is expanding its impact by opening county offices in Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Montserrado, and Rivercess Counties as part of its 100-day deliverables to address climate change at the county level.
“In some counties, the needed climate actions are mitigation focused. In others, the needed climate actions are adaptation-focused while some counties need both mitigation and adaptation actions to address climate change,” Dr. Yarkpawolo, added.
John Forkpa Kannah, the in-Country Facilitator for the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) told the gathering that Liberia has an unconditional commitment to reduce its climate footprint by 10%, with an arrangement to contribute to the remaining 54% target with the support of international partners.
Liberia’s NDC commitments relate to improved climate actions in the agriculture, forestry, fishery, energy, waste, coastal zone, health, industry, and transport sectors. The roadmap for Liberia’s next NDC – which is set for 2025 – has been developed.
The sessions ended with a shared experience of climate governance from Chile. Tomas Gomez, a Chilean who works for NavaSphere presented Chile’s institutional frameworks, legal frameworks, and step-by-step actions taken by Chile towards achieving carbon neutrality.
The participants pointed out similarities and variances in Chile’s approaches to climate change and those of Liberia. The goal was to borrow the positives from Chile to adequately address climate change in Liberia.