Environmental Knowledge Management System

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia, in partnership with the Youth Entrepreneurs Network of Liberia, and with support from the UNIDO GROW 2 Project, has advanced its national drive to connect Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to Liberia’s climate goals—taking the third phase of its four-day capacity-building workshop to Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
On Thursday, July 2, the engagement brought together farmers, agro-processors, entrepreneurs, and business owners from Grand Bassa, River Gee, River Cess (Maryland), B**g, and Nimba Counties—reinforcing the EPA’s commitment to decentralizing climate action and ensuring that enterprises across Liberia can benefit from the opportunities of the green economy.
Speaking at the official opening, EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo emphasized the need to take climate conversations beyond Monrovia—stressing that Liberia’s transformation will be powered by productive communities nationwide.
“Our ports, farms, forests, markets, workshops, transport operators, fishers, traders, builders and small industries are central to national development,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said, adding that climate action must reach the entrepreneurs creating jobs and strengthening local economies.
Dr. Yarkpawolo noted that the global climate finance landscape is changing, with growing recognition that the private sector is essential for delivering innovative, scalable, and sustainable climate solutions. He explained that while donor-supported projects matter, long-term resilience depends on helping Liberian businesses develop market-driven solutions that can attract investment and deliver lasting impact.
He encouraged MSMEs to improve access to climate finance by strengthening their business models, keeping credible operating data, and proving measurable results—especially in areas such as emissions reduction, environmental protection, job creation, and community resilience.
He stressed that data has become a business asset, enabling enterprises to attract funding while demonstrating climate benefits.
Reaffirming the importance of Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Dr. Yarkpawolo described the national climate framework as more than a commitment—it is an investment roadmap that offers businesses real opportunities to contribute to climate resilience while growing their enterprises.
Participants were urged to embrace innovation across key sectors, including climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, waste management and recycling, sustainable construction, clean cooking technologies, eco-tourism, water resource management, and nature-based enterprises. He highlighted the potential of compressed and stabilized earth blocks as a sustainable alternative to sandcrete, noting that the approach can reduce pressure on fragile ecosystems, lower carbon emissions, and support local economic development.
The Buchanan workshop supports the EPA’s broader strategy to build MSME capacity

Dr. Yarkpawolo, Through Aide, Urges ICCHR Graduates to Lead Climate Action

EPA Hosts GEF Evaluation Mission to Assess Impact of Coastal and Environmental Projects