The Executive Director of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, has made a strong appeal at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, calling for greater international financial support to help Liberia address the worsening impacts of climate change. In a BBC interview on Tuesday, November 12, Dr. Yarkpawolo highlighted Liberia’s climate-related challenges, emphasizing the critical need for funding to support a national climate resilience strategy. He pointed out that Liberia is facing extreme droughts, erratic rainfall, and severe coastal erosion due to climate change. Dr. Yarkpawolo discussed the severe effects of rising sea levels on coastal areas like Monrovia’s West Point, Buchanan, and Greenville, where climate impacts are causing disruptions, including in food production. As a least-developed country with rich natural resources and significant forest, Liberia is highly vulnerable to climate impacts but also well-positioned to contribute to global climate solutions, Dr. Yarkpawolo noted. He also outlined the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, a five-year plan launched by President Joseph N. Boakai’s administration focused on climate adaptation and resilience.The EPA official asserted that Liberia requires US$7 billion to implement this ambitious plan, a sum currently beyond the government’s reach, underscoring the need for international financial support. Dr. Yarkpawolo urged wealthy nations to honor their climate commitments with concrete action, emphasizing that these commitments must translate into resources to create real change in Liberia and other affected countries. The EPA director’s message echoes the concerns of many developing nations at COP29, who are calling for increased funding to tackle climate change impacts. The COP29 summit, held from November 11 to 22, 2024, provides a platform for global leaders to assess progress toward the Paris Agreement’s targets, with a focus on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) aimed at limiting global warming. Source: LINA