Liberia: To Raise US$95M from Mangrove Protection EPA, Conservation Int’l Launch GMA Liberia Chapter

Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpwolo, has Liberia Mangrove will provide US$95 million yearly in costal protection service if properly managed.

He made the statement Thursday, August 1, 2024 when the Government of Liberia (GoL) through the EPA in partnership with Conversation International (CI) and others stakeholders launched the Global Mangrove Alliance Liberian Chapter.

By joining the GMA, Liberia hopes to
achieve the implementation of actions and projects to advance the alliance’s global goals through the exchange of best practices and lessons learned to address challenges building on the best available science based data.

The launch of this all important platform is an effort to domesticate the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance known as the Ramsar Convention.

However, the launched of the initiative brought together representative from the Forestry Development Authority, Conversation International, Environmental Protection Agency as well as Civil Society organizations and environmental specialist.

Officially launching the Global Mangrove Alliance Liberia Chapter August 1, 2024 in Monrovia, EPA head stated that Liberia has lost more than 26 percent of its mangrove ecosystems since the year 2000.

” Carbon stock in mangrove ecosystems declined from 12 to 8.9 Mt Carbon over the same period. Mangroves provide US$95 million/year in coastal protection services if we take care of them. Therefore, the issue of mangrove management in Liberia cannot be overemphasized. Liberia signed onto the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) Community Action in November 2023″ Dr. Yarkpwolo noted.

He urged that Liberian should not underestimate the role that mangroves play as natural infrastructure in preventing sea level rise, while adding that the rise in sea levels is evident all along Liberia nine coastal counties.

The Liberian scientific scholar pointed out that data that will be generated from this vital exercise will enable the government to make informed decisions on the issue of the country’s carbon sink as we anticipate building a framework in managing these precious resources.

” Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor, most respectfully on behalf of the Government of Liberia, the Liberian nation and people, and our valuable international partners to officially LAUNCH the Liberian Chapter of the Global Mangrove Alliance,” he concluded.

Providing a brief PowerPoint presentation on the overview of the Global Mangroves Alliance Liberia Chapter, Elizabeth D. Kamara, Blue Ocean Programmer Manager, Conversation International said that the aimed of the initiative is to build corporation and partnership to protect mangroves because it’s also importance for carbon.

” This is the first in Liberia and West Africa. Our major goal is to raise the Mangrove coverage protection to 26% in 2030. We are in fifty countries, ten region program with twenty thousand mangroves experts. Our strategy is to collaborate with the community, government and all partners to sustain biodiversity, climate mitigation, climate adaptation, food security and human wellbeing,” she added.