𝐄𝐏𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

By: Laymah Kollie

For the first time in the nation’s history, Liberia is taking a bold and structured step to respond to the rising threat of climate-induced migration.

On June 17, 2025, the Executive Director and CEO of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo, signed a landmark agreement at the Berlin Climate Mobility Forum, launching Liberia’s journey toward developing a National Climate Mobility Strategy.

The agreement paves the way for the EPA to conduct a comprehensive Climate Mobility Assessment a major move that will examine how climate change is forcing people to relocate within Liberia and what policies must be put in place to protect them.

The signing took place during a high-level session at the Berlin forum, attended by global climate leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors.

Liberia’s participation and leadership at the forum demonstrated not only its vulnerability but also its commitment to solutions.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat it is a current reality that is reshaping lives and livelihoods,” said Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo. “Through this agreement, we are committing to assess the scale and nature of climate-induced mobility and to craft a national strategy that safeguards vulnerable communities while ensuring sustainable development.”, he told the gathering.

The Climate Mobility Assessment will involve among other things, the 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭-𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬, the 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 and 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬.

At the same time, The findings will guide the creation of Liberia’s first ever National Climate Mobility Strategy a long-term plan that ensures those displaced by climate disasters are not forgotten or left behind.

Held under the theme “Pathways to Protection: Addressing Climate Mobility through Policy and Practice,” the Berlin Climate Mobility Forum gave Liberia a global stage to raise awareness and secure partnerships.

This move aligns with Liberia’s obligations under the Paris Agreement and shows that the country is not waiting for disaster to strike before taking action. Instead, it is stepping up, showing leadership, and preparing its systems and communities for the future.

“This is the first time in Liberia’s history that a focused, data-driven initiative will be undertaken to understand and address climate induced migration. It is not just a policy move it is a people-first strategy to ensure that climate justice reaches every corner of the country, “Dr. Urey Yarkpawolo added.