Published: October 1, 2025
MONROVIA — Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency has acquired a €100,000 Elemental Analyzer from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a major step toward strengthening the nation’s climate science and advancing blue carbon research.
The high-precision instrument will allow EPA scientists to measure carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur in mangroves and wetlands — key data for assessing how these ecosystems store and accumulate carbon. The findings are expected to guide national climate policies, improve coastal management and bolster Liberia’s role in regional carbon-market efforts.
The donation is part of the IAEA’s regional project RAF7020, which seeks to establish five African laboratories for blue carbon assessment by 2026. Liberia was selected for the equipment after a 2024 midterm meeting in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, recognized the EPA’s readiness to lead on blue carbon research and conservation.
EPA Executive Director Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, joined by the agency’s governing board and senior managers, formally received the analyzer with support from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.
“This milestone demonstrates Liberia’s growing recognition as a leader in blue carbon research and a regional center for advancing scientific understanding of aquatic ecosystems,” said Rafael Sarji Ngumbu Sr., the EPA’s director of environmental research and radiation safety. “The data generated will not only help Liberia meet its climate commitments under international conventions but also provide long-term benefits for environmental protection, coastal community resilience and sustainable development.”
Liberia’s vast mangrove forests are among West Africa’s largest carbon sinks, critical for biodiversity and local livelihoods. With the new analyzer and ongoing IAEA support through the AFRA framework, the EPA says Liberia is better positioned to produce national blue carbon inventories, contribute to global climate action and serve as a hub for scientific collaboration in the region.
The agency pledged to use the equipment effectively to support national development goals, environmental conservation and regional cooperation.
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