IPNews-Monrovia: A report conducted on ‘Liberia Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment for the Coastal Zone’ has established that climate change impacts strongly affect health and security of the population and disrupt economic activities.
Climate vulnerability and risk assessment for the coastal zone is one of the first steps towards building up coastal resilience, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a release.
The study was conducted as part of the project “To advance the National Adaptation Plans (NAP) process for medium-term investment planning in climate-sensitive sectors and coastal areas in Liberia”.
The release said international expert, Dr. Vladimir Kalinski and his team of local experts used available data, hazard, vulnerability and cumulative risk mapping to conduct the climate vulnerability and risk assessment for the entire coastal area of Liberia.
Findings of the report were made available on 30 October 2019 at a one day technical workshop organized by thE EPA and the United Nations Development Program UNDP in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
According to the report, climate change impacts present challenges to the country’s socio-economic development, amidst the projected temperature and precipitation changes for 2050 and 2080 that points to a warmer and wetter climate in most parts of the country.
Beyond the assessment of risks, the report also presents options for mitigation of adaptation of expected risks including some recommendations and adaptation options for several central and southern coastland towns.
Suggested adaptation measures ranges from green (ecosystem-based adaptation), grey (hard and soft engineering options) and soft (policy, awareness rising, etc.) options.
Abraham Tumbey, Program Manager for the NAPs Project said the report also represents a significant milestone in terms of generating the evidence base and knowledge required for medium to long term adaptation measures for addressing climate change impacts along the coastline of Liberia through concrete interventions derived from project that can be funded by local and multilateral sources.
The report was reviewed at the technical workshop which attracted representatives of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, EPA, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, National Disaster Management Agency, WASH Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Development Authority, Ministry of Public Works, National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority University of Liberia.
They provided final inputs to the report, which will be shortly submitted to the Government of Liberia by the Ministry of Mines & Energy.
