UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme

in LiberiaDecember 2007

United Nations Environment Programme Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch

First published in Switzerland in 2008 by the United Nations Environment Programme. Copyright © 2008, United Nations Environment Programme.

This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source.

No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Environment Programme.

United Nations Environment Programme PO Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 762 1234 Fax: +254 (0)20 762 3927 E-mail: uneppub@unep.org Web: http://www.unep.org

DISCLAIMER

The contents of this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of UNEP, or contributory organizations. The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expressions of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP or contributory organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Design and Layout: Matija Potocnik

Table of Contents

1 Background....................................................................................................................... 4

2 EnvironmentalCapacityBuildingProgramme................................................................... 5

2.1Operationalsupport................................................................................................. 5

2.2Environmentalawarenesseventsatcountylevel................................................... 6

2.3Environmentalassessmentmissions......................................................................... 6

2.4TechnicalAssistance............................................................................................... 8

2.5Environmentalconsiderationsofhumandisplacement........................................ 10

3 HandoverandRecommendations.................................................................................. 11

� UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

1 Background

UNEPcommenceditspostconflictworkinLiberiain November 2003 by assuming the lead forthe cross-cutting theme of “environment” intheUN/WBNeedsAssessment.This responsibilityinvolved integrating environmental issuesand priorities in the needs assessment report,reviewinginformationfromothersectors,holdingconsultations with stakeholders and fieldingmissionsin2003/2004.

As supplementary information to the NeedsAssessment,UNEPproducedthe“DeskStudyontheEnvironmentinLiberia”,whichwaspresentedattheInternationalReconstructionDonorsConferenceinNewYorkon5-6February2004.Thereportaimedatprovidingarapidandstrategicoverviewoftheenvironmentalproblemsfacedbythecountry,andidentifiedtheimmediateneedstobeaddressedduring the reconstruction and developmentprocess.Overall,thestudyfoundthatthemisuseofnaturalresourceshasnotonlybeenasourceofconflictinLiberiaandthewiderregion,buthasalsosustainedit.Furthermore,themassivemovementofrefugeesandinternallydisplacedpeoplehavehadveryseriousimpactsontheenvironment.

Basedonthesefindingsandinconsultationwiththe national authorities, it was agreed that animportantcontributiontowardsincreasingnationaland regional stability would be to provide theLiberian Government with the capacity andproficiencytomanageitsnaturalresourcesand

economic development in an environmentallysustainable and equitable manner. To this end,UNEP’seffortsoverthepasttwoandhalfyearshavefocused on strengthening the enabling policyand legislative frameworks and the technicalcapacityofthecountry’snascentenvironmentaladministration. InApril2005UNEPestablishedaProjectOfficeinMonrovia,ledbyaninternationalUNEPstaffmember.

Front Cover

Desk Study on theEnvironment in Liberia

United Nations Environment Programme

Participants of the Environmental Considerations of Displacement in Liberia training and UNEP staff

�UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

2 Environmental Capacity Building Programme

In 2006, UNEP was requested by the newlyappointed Executive Director of the LiberianEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) toassist with capacity building support. UNEPrespondedbyconductingaseriesoffactfinding/assessmentmissionsonenvironmentalinstitutionsand administration, legislative, policy andfinancial frameworks,environmentalmonitoring,environmentalimpactassessmentandsolidwastemanagement.Basedontheseassessmentsanddrawingfromitsexperienceinotherpostconflictcountries,UNEPdevelopedatargetedpackageofenvironmentalassistance inconsultationwiththeEPAandotherstakeholders.Thiscomprisedofundertakingthefollowingkeyactivities:

2.1 Operational support

(a) Office Equipment:Tofacilitatetheoperationof the newly established EPA, informationtechnology equipment (computers, printers,display screen, etc.) was supplied in 2006.UNEPalsotransferred its4-WDvehicleto the

EPAoncompletionoftheprojectinDecember2007.

(b) Environmental Resource Centre: UNEPprovided off ice equipment (furniture/bookshelves/computers)andacomprehensivecollectionofenvironmentalliterature(approx.800 books) to establish an environmentalinformationresourcecentreintheEPA.UNEPalso undertook extensive refurbishing ofdesignatedEPApremisesforthispurpose.

(c) Environmental laboratory: State of the artlaboratoryequipmentwasprovidedtotheEPAinOctober 2007enablingdetailedanalysisof water quality (biological/chemical). UNEPalsosupportedtheadaptationandequippingof designated EPA premises to host a smalllaboratoryfacility.GPSsandprotectiveclothinghavealsobeensuppliedtoEPAenvironmentalinspectorsincludinginthecounties.

EquipmenttomeasureturbiditywasalsoprovidedtotheMinistryofLands,MinesandEnergytoassistinmonitoringminingactivities.ThefacilitiesoftheMinistry’sHydrologicalLaboratoryServiceswereupgradedbyconnectingittothemainwaterandelectricitylines.

EPA’s newly established environmental laboratory

� UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

2.2 Environmental awareness events at county level

During the course of 2005-2006, UNEP withassistance from UNMIL Civil Affairs sections inall counties, NGOs and government officials,organisedfourenvironmentalawareness raisingeventstargetingtwelveofLiberia’sfifteencounties.The events were attended by approximately1000 persons representing government, civilsocietyandNGOsfromthetargetedcounties.Theeventsincludedaparadethroughthehosttown,environmental presentations, distribution of theUNEPDesk Study on the Environment in Liberia,environmentaldramasandanenvironmentalquizfor school children. In collaboration with UNDP,tworegionalenvironmentalawarenesseventsareplannedtobeheldinLofaandMarylandcountiesinJanuary2008,whichwerenotcoveredinthe2005-2006programme.

2.3 Environmental assessment missions

(a) Institutional capacity for environmental management: AttherequestoftheEPA,UNEPcarriedoutanassessmentmissioninSeptember2006 to provide objective advice on theinstitutional, policy and legal frameworks,includinginternationalobligationsconnectedto the most critical environmental problemsfacingLiberia.Theassessmentmadespecificrecommendations on strategic priorities (interms of institutions, policy & legislation) forsustainableenvironmentalmanagement.

(b) Environmental monitoring capacity:InAugust2006,UNEPconductedadetailedassessmentofexistingenvironmentalmonitoringcapacitywithintheLiberianGovernmentwithaviewtoestablishingtrainingandequipmentrequirements.

Environmental awareness parade in Bong County

�UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

(c) Capacity assessment for administrative procedures for environmental impact assessment: InOctober/November2006,UNEPassessedtheEPA’scapacityforimplementingenvironmental impact assessment (EIA)procedures.Thiswasfollowedbyaoneweektraining workshop for staff of the EPA andrelevant line ministries on the administrativeprocedures for EIA. The conclusion of themissionwasthattheknowledgeandskillsforapplicationof EIAprocedures is veryweak.Consequently,UNEPdraftedinterimguidelinesforEIAwhichhavebeensubsequentlyrevisedandofficiallyendorsedbytheEPAin2007.

(d) Solid waste management: A review ofthe state of solid waste management wasconductedinJune2007drawingonfieldvisitsmainly in Monrovia but also to Paynesville,BuchananandKakata.Extensiveconsultationswereheldincludingaonedayworkshopthatbrought togethergovernmentagencies, theprivatesector,CSOsandinternational/donororganizationstoencouragenationaldebate,discussproblemsandidentifycomponentsforlong-term, sustainable improvements in thesector. The mission’s key recommendations

werethattheEPAshould:(i)establishanationaltask force on solid waste managementengagingbothpublicandprivatestakeholdersand(ii)launchapubliceducationprogrammeonwastemanagement.Addressinghazardoushealthcarewastewasalso identifiedasanissuerequiringpriorityaction.Subsequently,the EPA created a National Solid WasteManagementTaskForcewiththeimmediateobjectiveofdevelopinganationalsolidwastemanagementstrategy.

(e) Environmental law and policy:InAugust2007,aUNEPmissionconducteda legal reviewofLiberia’sframeworkenvironmentallaw,withaspecial focuson thedevelopmentofprioritysubordinate legislation to help ensure itsimplementation.DiscussionswereheldwithkeyGovernment,internationalcommunityandcivilsocietystakeholderstogainanunderstandingofthelegislativedevelopmentprocessandidentifysectoralpriorityareasrequiringregulations.ThetwopriorityrecommendationsemphasisedtheneedtoconductacomprehensivereviewoftheexistingpolicyandlegalframeworkswithaviewtodevelopingalegislativeactionplanandadetailedreviewofthedraftEIAregulations.

UNEP staff on a solid waste management assessment mission

� UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

2.4 Technical Assistance

(a) Restructuring the Liberian Environmental Protection Agency: Followingontheaboveassessment mission (2.3.a), UNEP providedsystematic guidance in early 2007 on therestructuring process of the EnvironmentalProtection Agency. This assistance focusedon a thorough review of the EPA Act, andthe Environmental Management Act, andassessing the mandate and functions oftheEPA.Thisassistanceresulted ina revisedorganizational chart, function profiles andjob descriptions, which was subsequentlysubmittedandapprovedbytheEPABoardofDirectors(withminoramendments).

(b) Environmental Site Assessment:Afive-dayworkshop on contaminated site assessmenttechniquesbasedonhands-onfieldvisitswasheld in May 2007. Participants included 20environmentalinspectorsfromtheEnvironmentProtection Agency, many of whom were

subsequentlydeployedtothecounties,aswellasstafffromrelevantlineministries.

(c)Water quality testing:Aneightday trainingcourseonwaterqualitytestingmethodsandprocedures was provided for 20 laboratorytechniciansinOctober2007.TheparticipantsweremainlyfromtheEPAandtheHydrologicalLaboratoryServicesof theMinistryof Lands,MinesandEnergy(MLME)aswellasotherlineministriesandacademicinstitutions.

(d) Establishment of an Environmental Resource Centre: A two week training course onenvironmentalinformationmanagementwasprovidedforsixEPAstaff(includingalibrarianfromtheNationalUniversityofLiberia)atUNEPheadquarters in Nairobi in November 2007.Additional training on internet and websitedesignhasalsobeenprovided to EPA staff.Furthermore,UNEPdevelopedadraftwebsitefortheEPA(www.epa.gov.lr)whichshouldbelaunchedbytheEPAinearly2008.

Environmental Site Assessment Workshop participants and UNEP staff

�UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

(e)Environmental law and policy: Basedon itsevaluation (2.3.e)and followingconsultationswith the EPA, UNEP provided the followingtechnical assistance in October-December2007:(a)carriedoutacomprehensivereviewofenvironmentalpolicyandlawleadingtothedevelopmentofalegislativeactionplanthatwasvalidated inamulti-stakeholderworkshop; (b)conductedacomprehensiverevisionofthedraftenvironmental impactassessment regulationsvalidated inamulti-stakeholderworkshop; (c)facilitatedmulti-stakeholderconsultationsonthefeasibilityofdevelopinganenvironmentalfundanddevelopedaconceptualframeworkanddraft legislativeprovisionstohelpenablethecreationofsuchafund;(d)draftedsectorspecificEIAguidelinesforinfrastructure,miningandforestry;(e)sponsoredastudyvisitfortwoseniorLiberiaEPAstafftotheGhanaEPAtodrawlessonsfromacomparativeregionalexampleonthedevelopmentofenvironmentalstandardsand EIA regulations and guidelines; and (f)providedtechnicaladviceonthedevelopmentofenvironmentalstandards.

(f) National solid waste management strategy:OntherequestoftheEPA,UNEPpreparedadraftNationalSolidWasteManagement(NSWM)strategyforLiberia.UNEPalsosupportedthe

EPAtoconveneamulti-stakeholdermeetingof the National Solid Waste Management(NSWM)taskforcetodiscussthedraftstrategyinDecember2007.Donorsandinternationalorganisations, including the World Bank,participated in the meeting and expressedinterest in supporting the completion of thedraftstrategyasUNEPdisengages.

IncoordinationwithUNEP,EPAhasheldaseriesofconsultationswithWHO,UNICEFandtheMinistryof Health and Social Welfare to harmonize,consolidateandupdateexistingpoliciesandguidelinesonthemanagementofhealthcarewaste.Thishasledtothepreparationofadraftnationalpolicyonhealthcarewaste.TheEPAhasalsoset-upaworkinggrouponmedicalcarewasteinvolvingbothmedicalinstitutionsandtheprivatesectorasaforumfordeliberationandtodealwithemergingemergencysituations.

(g) Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS): UNEPprovidedtechnicalandsecretarialsupporttotheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup(EWG)ofthePRS,chairedbytheExecutiveDirectoroftheEPA.UNEPLiberiaofficealsohelpedmobiliseandhostedtwomissions from theJointUNDP-UNEPPovertyandEnvironment Initiative inNovemberandDecember2007toadviseonmainstreamingof

Inauguration of the Environmental Resource Centre

10 UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

poverty-environmentlinkagesinthePRS.ThisledtothepreparationofanEnvironmentStrategyBriefand thedevelopmentofpoverty-environmentindicatorsforintegrationinthePRSreport.

ThePovertyandEnvironmentInitiative(PEI)hasagreedtoprovideadditionalassistancetotheEWGuntil thecompletionofthePRS inMarch2008, including supportingawareness-raisingactivitiesonpoverty-environmentinter-linkages.FollowinganofficialrequestfromtheGovernmentofLiberia,PEIisworkingonmobilisingfundingtoestablishacountryprogrambymid-2008andhasalsoagreedtoenterindiscussionswithUNDPLiberiaonajointcost-sharingprogramme.

(h) Strengthening cooperation with international conventions and initiatives: TheUNEP LiberiaofficeliaisedonbehalfoftheGreatApesSurvivalProject(GRASP)withtheForestryDevelopmentAuthority(FDA)leadingtotheestablishmentofanofficialprojectfocalpointinOctober2007.OntherequestoftheSecretariatoftheBaselConvention,discussionswereinitiatedwiththeEPAonthedevelopmentofaprojectproposaltostrengthenhazardouswastehandlingcapacityatportfacilitiesthatisduetostartin2008.

2.5 Environmental considerations of human displacement

(a) Threetrainingworkshopstopromoteawarenessandtoincreasethecapacityofgovernmentofficialsand localNGOs to takeappropriatepreventative and remedial actions to limitenvironmentalimpactsinrefugee/IDPoperationsandresettlementoperationswerecompletedinApril 2006. Training included lecturesandsiteassessmentsforthirtytwoparticipantsfromgovernment agencies, humanitarian andenvironmentalNGOsandtheUnitedNations.

(b) Thepublication“Environmental Considerations of Human Displacement in Liberia: A guide for decision makers and practitioners”,reviewedduring four stakeholder meetings and threetrainingworkshops,waslaunchedatanationalreleaseeventinOctober2006.

(c) Areasweremappedaccordingtotheirecologicalvalueandenvironmentalvulnerability,andthemodelwassharedwithUNHCRinLiberiaforuseincontingencyplanningforapotentialinfluxofrefugees fromCoted’Ivoire.Aposter showing“Environmental Vulnerability Mapping” withreference tocamps fordisplacedpeople inLiberiawasproducedanddisseminated.

(d) AwarenessraisedonthisissueresultedintheIDPConsultativeForum,thepolicy-makingbodyonIDPrepatriationandreintegrationactivities,forthefirsttimeincorporatingenvironmentalconsiderations,includingaseriesofrecommendations,intotheassessmentprocessofclosedIDPcamps.ThephasedrecommendationsarepresentlybeingimplementedbyanNGOonbehalfofUNHCR.

A young IDP camp inhabitant

11UNEP Post-Conflict Capacity Building Programme in Liberia

3 Handover and Recommendations

As Liberia moves forward from humanitarianemergencytotheearlyrecoveryandreconstructionphase under the Poverty Reduction Strategy(PRS),additionalfollow-upassistanceisrequiredto strengthen the capacity of environmentaladministration and management. With thephasing-out of UNEP’s Post Conflict programmeinLiberiaby31December2007,Liberiawillfullyresume to being serviced by UNEP’s RegionalOfficeforAfricaaspartofitsregularprogramme.TheJointUNDP-UNEPPovertyEnvironmentInitiativehascommittedtoprovidingtechnicalassistanceintothePRSuntil itscompletioninMarch2008.Itisalsopositivelyconsideringestablishingafullcountryprogrammebymid-2008andhasagreedtoenterintodiscussionswithUNDPLiberiaonajointcost-sharingprogramme.

InviewoftheprogressmadesofarunderUNEP’spostconflictprogrammeandfollowingdiscussionswiththeEPA,itisrecommendedthattheRegionalOffice for Africa, in collaboration with the JointUNDP/UNEPPovertyEnvironmentFacilityand therelevantUNEPdivisions,and inconsultationwithUNDP Liberia,endeavour tomobiliseassistanceforthefollowingactivities,asfeasible:

Law and Policy

1) Follow-upassistancetosteerthedevelopmentofanationalsolidwastemanagementstrategy(incollaborationtheWorldBank,ILOandUNDP).

2) Follow-upassistanceonthedevelopmentofanationalenvironmentfund,includingpreparationofdraftact(incollaborationwithUNEP/DELC).

3) As the EPA lacks a qualified environmentallawyer,provideintensivetrainingforoneEPAstaffmemberinenvironmentallaw(incollaborationwithUNEPDELC’sPADELIAprogramme).

4) Follow-uptechnicalassistanceforthedevelopmentofenvironmentalqualitystandards.

Capacity Building

5) AssisttheEPAinequippingexistingandplannedEPAofficesinthecounties(incollaborationwithUNDP).

6) EnhancethelaboratoryfacilitiesoftheEPAtoincludeairandsoilanalysisequipment,aswellasfollow-uptrainingandon-sitecoaching(incollaborationwithUNDP).

Environmental Awareness

7) AssisttheEPAindevelopingacomprehensiveoutreach and communications programme(incollaborationwithJointUNDP/UNEPPEF).

UNEP expert presenting water sampling equipment during the Training Course for Environmental Inspectors in Liberia