BUCHANAN, GRAND BASSA COUNTY – The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) Liberia Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) UN Environment Programme has officially launched a three-day inception and validation workshop to advance the nation’s climate change reporting and transparency frameworks.
The high-level session, running from September 10 to 12, 2026, brings together national greenhouse gas experts, government line ministries, civil society, and private sector stakeholders to review and validate Liberia’s Second Biennial Transparency Report (BTR2) and the Combined Third Biennial Transparency Report and Fourth National Communication (BTR3/NC4) Project.
The project forms a critical part of Liberia’s obligations under the landmark 2016 Paris Agreement, which establishes a global action plan to keep global warming well below 2°C. Under Article 13’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), countries are required to submit tracking data every two years to show clear progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Legally grounded in Section 99 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia (EPML), the EPA holds the mandate to coordinate, monitor, and supervise all environmental activities in the country.
This new initiative successfully succeeds Liberia’s previous submission of its First Biennial Update Report (BUR1).
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the government, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia, Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo emphasized that the official launch of the BTR2 and BTR3/NC4 projects represents a defining moment for the country’s environmental governance. He noted that robust climate reporting is no longer just a bureaucratic requirement, but a foundational requirement for securing international trust and mobilizing needed climate finance.
“Liberia is rich in biodiversity and natural resources, but we are also highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” Dr. Yarkpawolo stated. “By building a transparent, verifiable data system, we are showing the global community that we are serious partners.
This process will allow us to accurately measure our national carbon footprint and clearly demonstrate the actions we are taking to protect our ecosystems.”
The Executive Director extended profound gratitude to the global partners who made the project possible, specifically highlighting the institutional roles of the funding and implementing entities.
He explained that the technical expertise provided by UNEP and the financial backing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Global Environment Facility are directly enabling Liberia to build long-term local capacity.
This support ensures that Liberian scientists and policymakers can sustainably manage data collection without relying entirely on outside consultants.
Concluding his remarks, Dr. Yarkpawolo called upon all line ministries, private sector actors, and civil society organizations present at the Buchanan workshop to treat the validation process with the highest level of national duty.
He stressed that climate change cuts across all sectors—from agriculture and forestry to energy and transport—meaning that true transparency can only be achieved if every institution plays its part in providing accurate, timely data.
Providing a technical overview of the initiative, Dr. Charles Asumusana Sr., who serves as the National Project Coordinator for the BTR2 & BTR3/NC4 Project at the EPA, outlined the strategic scope of the text.
He noted that the three-day session is carefully designed to finalize a roadmap that will govern data capturing and institutional reporting structures for the next several years.
Dr. Asumusana explained that the immediate objectives over the three days include mobilizing stakeholders to secure strong backing from donors, building the capacity of senior policymakers, and establishing a smooth, nationwide system for collecting greenhouse gas data.
He noted that moving away from ad-hoc data collection toward a centralized, digitized system will significantly reduce reporting errors and improve accuracy across all sectors.
Speaking on the opening day, Dr. Asumusana emphasized the long-term impact of the initiative.
“This project ensures Liberia remains accountable on the global stage while protecting our local natural resources for future generations,” he stated.
He added that the workshop will conclude on September 12 with a finalized roadmap establishing clear, long-term roles for every sectoral institution involved in Liberia’s climate reporting.
To achieve these outcomes, a panel of prominent national experts and legal minds are scheduled to present technical briefs during the sessions.
See more Liberia News Network stories in Google Search by adding LNN as one of your Preferred Sources.
★ Add LNN as a Preferred Source