Liberia lies on the west coast of Africa, with 560 km of pristine coastline stretching along its North Atlantic perimeter.
Liberia and its society depend on a healthy environment for agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, which are among the top industries.
This humid, equatorial country hosts unspoiled rainforests, wetlands and waterfalls. It is home to a diversity of flora and fauna, including elephants, antelopes and Liberia’s national animal: the pigmy hippopotamus.
Despite its phenomenal natural beauty, environmental challenges abound. The destruction of rainforest, hunting of endangered animals and pollution are just some of them.
The Liberia Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to set the country on a new trajectory. In February 2020, Liberia formally began its journey towards developing national natural capital accounts.
IDEEA Group is working in partnership with the Liberian government and international agencies, including the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and Conservation International to develop a National Strategy and Action Plan (NSAP) for Natural Capital Accounting (NCA).
The NSAP is foundational for Natural Capital Accounting to be embedded in Liberia in the long-term. The NSAP includes several steps:
- Assessment of NCA in Liberia.
- Establishment of a core group to drive the NSAP forward.
- Establishment of an authorized senior board to provide ongoing strategic advice.
- Consultation with government agencies to develop core components of the NSAP.
- Drafting the NSAP.
- Consultation on the outcomes contained in the NSAP.
- Implementation of the NSAP.
This month, our co-Director, Carl Obst, is in Liberia, where he will be meeting with relevant government agencies, including the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). Carl’s initial goals include assessing the need for NCA in Liberia and developing an understanding of statistical and data capabilities.
He’ll also be beginning our capacity building program, providing a preliminary introduction to NCA and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting. His work in Liberia in September will allow us to design customised training that we will deliver at a later date.
We are honoured to be part of Liberia’s journey as it transitions to a NCA program that is embedded in its institutions. In doing this work, Liberia will pursue pathways that support its development and reduce environmental challenges, benefitting all of its citizens. This work will build statistical infrastructure that will serve the Liberian government now and in the future.
We look forward to keeping you abreast of our work in Liberia.
If you’d like to read more about these principles, this project and our partnerships, please download the following documents: