By P. Vangerline Kpotoe
MONROVIA, Nov. 03 (LINA) — Liberia is pushing to strengthened regional collaboration and increased global environmental financing to safeguard the Upper Guinean Forest Biome, warning that deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate change pose an existential threat to one of West Africa’s most critical ecosystems.
The appeal was made by the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, during a high-level regional dialogue held October 27, 2026, at the GEF Pavilion on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia.
The dialogue, convened by Côte d’Ivoire, gathered environment ministers and senior officials from across the region along with international partners to explore ways to deepen cooperation and mobilize long-term financing for the conservation and sustainable management of the Guinean Forests.
The meeting brought together eight environment leaders from Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Cameroon, with senior delegates from Ghana, Togo, and The Gambia pledging support for the regional initiative. Participants emphasized the need for stronger political will, shared responsibility, and concrete actions to shield the biome from mounting pressures.
Speaking on the high-level panel, Dr. Yarkpawolo said regional environmental challenges cannot be solved by countries acting in isolation.
“Biodiversity does not have borders,” he stated, urging nations to look beyond national boundaries and protect shared ecosystems that sustain millions of people and support global environmental stability.
He raised alarm over the impact of climate change on water resources, citing the drying up of water sources and its implications for ecosystems, livelihoods, and community welfare.
Dr. Yarkpawolo also spotlighted Liberia’s vast mangrove forests, noting their vital role in carbon sequestration, coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, and community livelihoods, and stressed that their protection must be integral to regional climate and biodiversity strategies.
The EPA boss called for a stronger, unified regional voice to elevate the global visibility of the Upper Guinean Forest Biome and attract needed financing. He noted the biome’s benefits extend far beyond West Africa, providing carbon storage, water regulation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
He further emphasized the crucial role of global financing mechanisms, particularly the Global Environment Facility, in helping countries translate environmental commitments into actionable conservation programs with adequate resources.