Published: January 5, 2026
By David Menjor
MONROVIA — From new vehicles and decentralized county offices to tougher enforcement and expanded climate commitments, Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency marked 2024 and 2025 reports contain sweeping reforms aimed at strengthening environmental governance and positioning the country as a serious actor in global climate action.
In 2024, the EPA focused heavily on institutional capacity and modernization. The agency procured four new vehicles to enhance field operations and purchased a new building in Monrovia to house its headquarters, a move officials say will improve coordination and efficiency. Internally, 250 agency assets were verified and properly documented, while the EPA migrated its email system from Google to a more secure Outlook platform, training 12 staff at the Liberia Institute for Public Administration and supporting others in academic programs around the world.
One of the agency’s most visible investments was the construction of a Climate Change Laboratory at the University of Liberia, signaling a push to anchor climate science and policy in local research. Complementing that effort, the EPA secured short-term scholarships for 150 Liberians in climate change law and supported additional staff pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees. Public engagement also featured prominently.
The EPA conducted 30 intersectoral public engagements and launched a redesigned, user-friendly website that allows businesses and individuals to request environmental permits online — a step toward transparency and efficiency. Policy development advanced alongside infrastructure. The EPA supported the formulation of Liberia’s Net-Metering Policy and Regulations, designed to promote renewable energy and encourage private sector participation in the power sector. In 2025, the agency turned its attention outward, expanding its presence nationwide. Motorcycles were purchased for county-based staff, and EPA operations were decentralized to all 15 counties, a move intended to bring environmental oversight closer to communities.
Legal frameworks were strengthened, and a national environmental registry system was created to centralize data and improve compliance tracking. Education and awareness were scaled up through nationwide campaigns, the integration of environmental education and the operationalization of an environmental knowledge system.
Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo made the disclosures at the agency’s headquarters in Monrovia when he delivered his reports of gains made over the years and what are to be done in the years ahead.
According to Dr. Yarkpawolo, these efforts are meant to build long-term public understanding of environmental protection and climate resilience. On compliance and enforcement, the EPA reported tougher oversight.
In 2025, the agency issued 257 environmental permits and verified 167 project sites. More than 70 permit applications were rejected for non-compliance. The EPA held 34 environmental and social impact assessment conferences, conducted 248 audit reports and organized 11 public consultations. To bolster enforcement capacity, 101 environmental evaluators were trained, and 140 non-compliance actions were taken.
Environmental fines imposed totaled US$303,300, with US$200,000 collected, according to the agency’s report. Internationally, Liberia met key multilateral environmental agreement obligations, including under the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The EPA also helped establish a climate change trust fund and leveraged global partnerships to support national priorities. These efforts culminated in Liberia’s submission of its Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 in 2025.
Under the updated climate plan, Liberia committed to an unconditional greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 10 percent, with the potential to reach up to 54 percent contingent on international support. Gender inclusion emerged as another defining theme. A 2025 EPA gender policy report shows women now play a greater role across the agency and in community-level environmental committees. In Grand Kru and Grand Gedeh counties, men and women hold equal representation on environmental committees, while in Nimba County, women outnumber men — a shift the EPA describes as unprecedented. Taken together, the reforms reflect an agency seeking to move beyond paperwork into active, nationwide environmental stewardship.
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