EPA Rallies NDC Focal Points to Drive Liberia’s Climate Ambition
October 28, 2025
By Laymah Kollie
Monrovia: The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, has called on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Focal Points to serve as the “pioneers of change” in implementing the country’s climate goals under its newly submitted NDC 3.0 framework.
Delivering the keynote address at a high-level workshop on NDC 3.0 Sectoral Policy Buy-In for Effective Implementation, held at the National University Climate Change Laboratory, University of Liberia, Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized that climate action in Liberia must move from policy to practical transformation.
“Today we gather not just as professionals, but as pioneers people entrusted with one of the most important national responsibilities of our generation: making Liberia’s NDC 3.0 a living instrument of change,” he told the gathering of sectoral focal points, development partners, and monitoring and evaluation officers.
He reminded participants that Liberia’s NDC 3.0, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last month, is more than an environmental plan it is a national development blueprint aligned with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
“Although our emissions are among the lowest in the world, our vulnerability is among the highest,” Dr. Yarkpawolo stated. “That paradox calls for leadership, innovation, and unity.”
Liberia’s NDC 3.0 sets an ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 64 percent by 2035, with 10 percent financed through domestic resources and 54 percent through international support.
Dr. Yarkpawolo said achieving this goal depends largely on the dedication and accuracy of the NDC Focal Points, who serve as the bridge between data, policy, and international commitments.
“Data is not just numbers; it is evidence that convinces donors, informs policies, and shapes investments,” he stressed. “When you submit accurate, timely, and credible reports, you build global confidence in Liberia’s transparency system.”
He challenged the participants to help Liberia reclaim its place as one of the top 10 countries globally recognized for on-time NDC reporting, noting that “precision, discipline, and collaboration” would be key to restoring that distinction.
To strengthen technical capacity, the EPA Executive Director announced that the agency will soon launch the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency Phase II (CBIT II), a program designed to enhance expertise in greenhouse gas accounting, mitigation tracking, and adaptation monitoring.
He added that the EPA, in collaboration with the UNFCCC Regional Collaborating Centre in Lomé and UNDP Liberia, will ensure that focal points have the tools and resources to deliver credible climate data.
“Monitoring and evaluation is our compass it tells us where we are, what’s working, and where we must improve,” Dr. Yarkpawolo explained. “Our systems must be transparent, data-driven, and people-centered, measuring not only emissions reduced but lives improved.”
Furthermore, Dr. Yarkpawolo urged the participants to see themselves as leaders in shaping Liberia’s climate future.
“The NDC 3.0 is more than policy it is a promise,” he said. “If a small group of determined people can shape the course of history, then you the NDC champions can shape the future of Liberia’s climate action.”
He closed with an inspiring call to action, “Let this session ignite a new spirit of purpose and excellence. Together, we will move from ambition to action, from plans to progress, and from reporting to real transformation.”
Participants consist of Monitoring and Evaluation officers, Sector representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mines, Transport , Fishery and Finance amongst others.
