The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has wrapped up an intensive field inspection in Sinoe County to safeguard Liberia’s vulnerable coastline from the mounting threats of climate change.
The delegation, headed by EPA Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Louis Kuukpen, toured the towns of Seebeh, Bannah, and Downtown Mississippi—communities that have for years been battling coastal erosion and the encroaching sea.
These towns have witnessed farmland, homes, and even sacred burial grounds washed away by the waves, leaving deep scars on both livelihoods and cultural heritage. At the center of the visit was the Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities Project, a USD 8.9 million initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and expected to run until 2028.
The project aims not only to construct protective revetments along vulnerable shorelines but also to build community resilience through alternative livelihoods, institutional strengthening, and grassroots participation in climate solutions. Sinoe’s shoreline has long been one of the hardest-hit in Liberia. Environmental studies show that several meters of land vanish into the sea each year, worsened by climate-induced sea level rise, deforestation, and unregulated sand mining.
Families in Bannah and Greenville have had to abandon ancestral homes, while elders recount the painful loss of coconut plantations, fishing grounds, and ancestral graves. “Some of our people lost everything—their land, their history, their means of survival,” an elder from Seebeh explained. “It once felt like we were fighting a losing battle.” The project is now turning despair into cautious optimism. Protective walls are under construction, while training programs are equipping locals—especially women and youth—with new skills to diversify income sources away from fishing and subsistence farming.
During a ground breaking ceremony, the Bunnah Community received USD 25,000 as compensation for rocks extracted from their land for the revetment works. Residents hailed the move as an example of inclusive and fair development practice. Alongside this, a Human Resource firm has recruited 44 local workers, both skilled and unskilled, with a transparent process that prioritizes women and young people. This has provided direct income for families and strengthened community ownership of the project.
“This initiative is not only about building sea defenses, it is about restoring dignity and creating opportunities for the most vulnerable among us,” Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized. “If we succeed here, this project can become a model for other counties. But if we fail, it could undermine future interventions.”
UNDP’s Mr. Kuukpen echoed this sentiment, noting that the organization’s climate programs have already yielded significant results in Grand Bassa and Montserrado Counties. He reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to ensuring that Sinoe’s people are not left behind in the fight against climate change. Community leaders and residents expressed their satisfaction with the project’s inclusive approach. Acting Superintendent of Sinoe County, Mayah Padma, said the compensation and employment initiatives prove that development can be both fair and empowering. Women’s leader, Josephine Doe from Bannah, described the intervention as a turning point:
“For years we watched the sea claim our homes. Today, we feel supported—not only with protection for our land but also with jobs and recognition of our contribution. That gives us hope.” Looking ahead, the project will also focus on enhancing climate information systems, expanding institutional capacity, and testing hybrid solutions such as mangrove restoration combined with engineered sea defenses.
For Sinoe County, this partnership between the EPA, UNDP, and GEF is more than an environmental project. It is a promise of resilience and renewal for communities that have lived under the shadow of the advancing sea. By 2028, the initiative is expected to leave behind a legacy of stronger coastlines, empowered communities, and a national model for climate adaptation.
