BUCHANAN – In response to the accelerating threats of climate change along Liberia’s coast, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has concluded a high-level two-day technical training on coastal resilience for county and national-level planners. The training, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UNDP, and the Government of Liberia (GoL), was held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, from April 29–30, 2025.
Held under the theme, “Saving Coastal Counties in Liberia from Sea Erosion,” the training forms part of the Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities in Sinoe County (ERVCCS) Project. The initiative aims to build institutional capacity in climate change adaptation planning and response, particularly in Liberia’s most at-risk coastal counties.
Liberia’s coastline, stretching over 350 miles, is increasingly under siege from sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and land degradation, posing dire threats to human settlements, infrastructure, and the livelihoods of thousands of citizens living along the Atlantic coast.
Addressing the opening session, Princess A. Blango-Doyah, Project Manager of the ERVCCS project, emphasized the critical importance of integrating climate resilience into development planning. She underscored the realities already being felt in communities where erosion and sea-level rise have forced families to relocate and disrupted economic activities.
“Climate change continues to pose serious challenges to our country’s development and the livelihood of our people,” Blango-Doyah said. “Sea level rise, erosion, displacement, and migration have reduced economic productivity and caused costly damage to infrastructure. Donor support through the EPA has helped mitigate some effects, but much more is needed.”
She encouraged the participants drawn from Grand Bassa, Sinoe, and Maryland counties to serve as changemakers and decision influencers. “Your participation is vital because you serve at different levels of decision-making, planning, and budgeting. You are the ones to sound the alarm and reflect climate realities in our national and local development tools,” she added.
The workshop focused on equipping planners with practical tools and methodologies to integrate climate change risks into national and county-level planning and budgeting. International environmental advocate and Soil & Water Conservation Engineer Josephine T. Tombo served as lead facilitator, guiding attendees through detailed technical sessions on incorporating climate change risks, coastal adaptation, sea and river defense management, and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) into national planning and budgeting processes.
On Day Two, discussions centered around coastal erosion and sea defense strategies. Participants examined the dynamics of erosion, flood risk management, and the design and limitations of hard engineering solutions such as seawalls and groynes. The training also introduced nature-based approaches, including mangrove restoration and the use of hybrid green-gray infrastructure to stabilize coastlines while preserving ecosystems.
“Technical tools like the Vulnerability Assets Mapping (VAM), Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), and the Sea and River Defense Investment Management Plan (SRDIMP) are essential to assess and prioritize interventions,” said facilitator Tombo. “These are the instruments that help planners make informed, science-driven decisions for adaptation.”
Site visits and case studies brought the data to life. During a field trip to a nearby affected community, participants witnessed firsthand the destructive power of sea erosion and the urgent need for sustainable coastal management. Scientific explanations behind the alteration of the beach morphology and shoreline changes, as well as the functions of coastal structures, including groynes and revetments, were provided by the project’s Chief Technical Advisor, Anthony Nimely Chea, Jr.
Desmond T. Thompson, who spoke on behalf of EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, closed the workshop by expressing deep appreciation to all involved in the training and reaffirming the agency’s commitment to climate action.
“It has been a pleasing honor to be here for the past two days. I think it was interactive and very insightful,” said Thompson. “I want to thank the project team for organizing this event and extend gratitude to our international facilitator from Botswana. The subject matter is important to us, and this training could not have come at a better time.”
Reflecting on the site visit, Thompson added: “We all saw the impact of climate change in our communities. This is no spiral story again—it’s happening, and it’s happening right now. Having this level of insight on how to build resilience against the impact of climate change is crucial.”
Participants expressed gratitude to the EPA, UNDP, and project facilitators for the opportunity. “We have learned a lot—from climate science to coastal defense strategies, and we are going back with new skills and ideas to improve our counties’ preparedness and planning,” one participant from Maryland County remarked during the closing session.
As the training ended, county delegates began drafting localized action points to inform future coastal resilience and protection interventions. These outputs will feed into broader national frameworks aimed at integrating climate adaptation into Liberia’s development agenda.
At the close of the two-day training, participants received Certificates of Completion in recognition of their successful engagement with the technical sessions. The certificates serve not only as a testament to their new knowledge and skills but also as a call to action for local implementation of coastal resilience strategies in their respective counties.
The ERVCCS project, implemented by the EPA with funding from UNDP, GEF, and GoL, continues to emphasize community-based adaptation, sustainable land use, and nature-based solutions to bolster resilience. With climate impacts worsening, the message from Buchanan was clear: coastal protection is no longer optional; it is essential to Liberia’s survival.
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