Liberia environmental profile This report is financed by the European commission and is presented by Agreco G.E.I.E for the Government of Liberia and the European Commission. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Government or the European Commission. Authors: Dr Giorgio V. Brandolini, agronomist, biodiversity expert Dr Mohammed Tigani, environmental policy and management expert (industry, water, and waste management) Monrovia, December 2006 1 List of abbreviations and acronims Acronims GoL Government of Liberia iPRS interim Poverty Reduction Strategy PRSP Poverty reduction strategy paper DDRR Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reinsertion and Reintegration NIP EDF 9 National Indicative Programme 9th EDF 9th European development fund CSP Country Strategy Paper NIP National Indicative Programme 10th EDF 10th European development fund EPA Environmental Protection Agency EIA Environmental Impact Assessment MEAs Multilateral Environmental Agreements CEP Country Environmental Profile MDG 7 Millenium development goals 7 FLEGT Eu action plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade 2 Table of contents 1. Summary..................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Introduction............................................................................................................................... 10 3. State of the environment ........................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Physical environment.............................................................................................................. 11 3.1.1 Climate......................................................................................................................... 11 3.1.2 Ecological zones .......................................................................................................... 11 3.1.3 Land resources ............................................................................................................. 12 3.1.4 Farming systems .......................................................................................................... 13 3.1.5 Land tenure .................................................................................................................. 14 3.2 Mineral resources and geology ............................................................................................... 15 3.2.1 Mineral resources......................................................................................................... 15 3.2.2 Geological risks (seismic, volcanic and related risks)................................................. 17 3.3 Water....................................................................................................................................... 17 3.3.1 Water resources............................................................................................................ 17 3.3.2 Water supply ................................................................................................................ 18 3.3.3 Water for agriculture, industry and energy.................................................................. 19 3.3.4 Sewage and waste management................................................................................... 20 3.4 Biological conditions, biodiversity, ecology and nature conservation ................................... 21 3.4.1 Halieutic resources....................................................................................................... 22 3.4.2 Vegetation ecosystems................................................................................................. 23 3.4.3 Inland biodiverity......................................................................................................... 23 3.4.4 Agricultural biodiversity.............................................................................................. 27 3.4.5 Alien invasive species.................................................................................................. 27 3.4.6 Biological resources of economic importance............................................................. 28 3.5 Socio-economic conditions, socio-cultural conditions and human health.............................. 28 3.5.1 Administration, ethnic groups and population............................................................. 28 3.5.2 Governance .................................................................................................................. 30 3.5.3 The economy................................................................................................................ 31 3.5.4 Energy and emissions .................................................................................................. 34 3.5.5 Poverty ......................................................................................................................... 38 3.5.6 Gender balance............................................................................................................. 39 3.5.7 Social services.............................................................................................................. 39 3.5.8 Security issues.............................................................................................................. 40 3.5.9 Cultural and spiritual values ........................................................................................ 41 4. Environmental Issues................................................................................................................ 43 4.1 Key environmental issues ....................................................................................................... 43 4.2 Environment and poverty........................................................................................................ 44 4.3 Environment and socio-economic impact............................................................................... 45 4.3.1 Production and poverty................................................................................................ 45 4.3.2 External trade............................................................................................................... 46 4.3.3 Threats to human health............................................................................................... 47 4.3.4 Environmental disasters............................................................................................... 48 3 4.3.5 Sustainable use of resources ........................................................................................ 48 4.3.6 Trans-boundary environmental issues ......................................................................... 49 5. Environmental policy, legislative, institutional framework...................................................... 50 5.1 Environmental policy and legislation ..................................................................................... 50 5.2 Policy on management of biodiversity resources ................................................................... 52 5.2.1 Forests protection......................................................................................................... 52 5.2.2 Biotechnology and biosafety........................................................................................ 52 5.2.3 Regional cooperation and international conventions................................................... 53 5.3 Environmental institutional framework .................................................................................. 54 5.3.1 The Environmental protection agency (EPA).............................................................. 54 5.3.2 Other key institutions involved in environment........................................................... 55 5.4 Sectoral integration ................................................................................................................. 57 5.4.1 Linkages with civil society, development partners and the private sector .................. 57 5.4.2 Other instruments of the environmental policies......................................................... 57 5.4.3 Capacity building and civil society participation......................................................... 58 6. EC and other international development assistance.................................................................. 59 6.1 The framework of EC cooperation ......................................................................................... 59 6.2 EC cooperation in the environmental sector........................................................................... 61 6.3 Other international development assistance in the environmental sector............................... 62 6.3.1 Donor programs ........................................................................................................... 62 6.3.4 Donor coordination ...................................................................................................... 64 7. Recommended priority actions ................................................................................................. 66 7.2 Fresh water management ................................................................................................ 66 7.3 Mineral Reources and Geology ...................................................................................... 66 7.4 Bio diversity...................................................................................................................