EPA Enforces ‘Noise Pollution’
…. Prepares To Launch Climate Change Law
By Godgift Harris
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced sweeping new measures to curb noise pollution across the country, pledging strict enforcement of regulations on loudspeakers and other sound-producing equipment.
EPA made the disclosure at the Ministry of Information, regular press briefing on Tuesday, August 19, 2025,
The decision follows years of mounting public outcry over sleepless nights and disrupted livelihoods caused by unregulated noise from religious services, street DJs, funeral wakes, and nightclub
“Noise pollution has reached alarming levels in the country,” EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo declared. “We will not only target individuals but also institutions and event organizers who violate environmental laws.”
Under the new policy, violators will face heavy fines, and non-compliant facilities risk being shut down.
Health experts have long warned of the consequences of excessive noise exposure, linking it to stress, hearing loss, and other chronic health problems.
While the move has been welcomed by some community leaders as “long overdue,” skepticism remains high over the agency’s capacity to deliver.
Liberia has a history of weak enforcement of environmental laws, with many past crackdowns faltering amid allegations of selective application.
“The EPA talks tough every year, but enforcement is always selective,” complained a Monrovia resident who has endured nightly disturbances from nearby churches.
“They go after the small violators while the bigger ones remain untouchable.”
Religious and cultural groups, meanwhile, have raised concerns that the crackdown could restrict freedom of worship and traditional practices if enforcement is not applied fairly.
Observers note that the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the EPA’s move signals a genuine turning point in environmental regulation or simply another unfulfilled government pledge.
IDr. Yarkpawolo revealed that Liberia will launch its first-ever Climate Change Law during a National Dialogue scheduled for August 21–22, 2025, in Ganta, Nimba County.
Organized in partnership with the National Climate Change Steering Committee (NCCSC), the dialogue will bring together county superintendents, ministers, civil society organizations, development partners, women and youth groups, religious leaders, students and the media.
According to the EPA boss, the law will guarantee transparency, accountability, and fairness in carbon market operations while ensuring that vulnerable and forest-dependent communities directly benefit.
The NCCSC, chaired by President Joseph Boakai, mandated the EPA in July 2024 to develop a national framework in collaboration with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA).
With technical and financial backing from international partners, a draft Carbon Trading Policy has since been produced, undergoing reviews and consultations in seven counties, with more sessions planned nationwide.
Liberia has also signed an agreement with the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN), which is conducting a full forest inventory and training a national carbon technical working group.
Advanced satellite technology and modeling will be deployed to monitor the country’s forests and mangroves.
“This process is not just about government,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said. “It is about the survival of our forests, the well-being of our people, and the long-term prosperity of our nation.”
Globally, carbon trading has emerged as a critical tool for financing climate action and promoting sustainable development.
By passing its first climate law, Liberia aims to position itself as a credible player in the global carbon market.
The government has urged all Liberians to actively participate in the upcoming dialogue, describing it as a milestone in shaping the country’s climate governance and environmental future.