To Reduce Climate Change Impacts
By Alloycious David
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday launched National Adaptation Plans to help Liberia reduce its vulnerability to the impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacity and resilience, and to facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation into development planning.
Speaking at the launch of the (NAPA), EPA Executive Director Nathaniel T. Blama, Sr. said the agency is in partnership with several institutions including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Public Works, as well as the Forestry Development Authority (FDA).
He indicated that through the partnership, the EPA is able to implement the National Adaptation Program of Action, which was launched 10 years ago in 2008 to address the urgent and immediate adaptation priorities of Liberia.
Under the NAPA, the EPA and its partners formulated and executed several adaptation projects including enhancing resilience to climate change by mainstreaming adaptation concerns to agriculture sector development, the enhancement of resilience of vulnerable coastal areas to climate risks and the strengthening of the country’s capability to provide information and services to enhance climate resilient development and adaptation to climate change (early warning project), which is currently being implemented by the Ministry of Transport, Blama disclosed.
The new EPA boss explained that the costal defense project helped reverse the trend of erosion and reclaim some land in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County.
The projects are being funded by the Global Environment Facility through the Least Development Countries Fund.
Speaking further, he said the livelihoods of millions of people in Liberia are being negatively impacted by the effect of climate change, which is continuously affecting the country’s food security, water security and health.
Blama said there has been steady degradation of Liberia’s forest and mangroves resources over the years as a result of deforestation, population, and often uncontrolled urbanization with marginal attention being paid to environmental safeguard.
He said: “While the larger challenge of global climate change has to be addressed, we need to prepare our country and people to anticipate and respond to its consequences.”
Blama noted that part of the response to climate change lies in adequate planning of adaptation measures.
He made the statement Monday, February 12, 2018 at the launch of Liberia’s National Adaptation Plans and Inception workshop in Monrovia.