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Conference Concept

Liberia Environmental and Sustainability Forum
 
Assessing of Environmental Sustainability and Policy Challenges in Liberia: A Workshop to Develop Capacity Building and Sustainable Development Strategies
 
SECTION I                     
BACKGROUND:                                                                                                    
           
Upon the invitation of African Environmental Watch (AEW), Hon. Anyaa Vohiri, the new Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia f visited the United States to meet and acquaint, not only with her U.S counterpart, but also to meet other relevant institutions including, the National Council for Science and Environment (NCSE), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Conservation International (CI), World Bank African Region, and the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and individuals well known for their contributions to global environmental stewardship. Born out these meetings was the need for a Liberia Environmental Sustainability Forum (ESF)in Washington, DC for a comprehensive assessment of the major challenges of environmental protection in Liberia within the context of implementing sustainable development strategies and engaging potential partners for national capacity building.
 
SECTION II
Introduction 
Liberia is very rich in natural resources including its new found oil wealth. The country currently has the largest remaining tropical forest in Sub-Saharan Africa, which possesses some of the world's rarest flora and fauna, and 30 percent of the country’s land mass is covered with forest in reserves and World Heritage Sites. However, the 14 years of civil conflict ravaged Liberia’s infrastructure, the three major fundament cores of the environment (water, air and land), democratic institutions, and all instruments creating social and economic paralysis and threat to public health.
 
The environmental crisis in Liberia is the result of anthropogenic forces, accompanied by natural variability and climatic changes, including policy related problems such as insufficient legal authority and capacity as well as conflicting mandates between the EPA of Liberia and various institutions of government. Inadequate educational awareness and institutional capacity further hinders achieving environmental susatianability, which is one of the bedrocks of the United Nations' Millenium Development Goals, especiall Goal#7- Ensure Environmental Sustainability.  
 
 
Given the overview of these objectives that remain the central concerns of the government to address as it must seek to balance between poverty reduction and environmental management, it our believe that the forum will provide key stakeholders to catalyze opportunities to develop sustainable scientifically-based strategies for the management and preservation of Liberia’s ecosystems under threat and networking as well as collaboration between the U.S. and U.S. based organizations and other international institutions that will benefit the EPA of Liberia to fulfill its national mandates. 
 
Expected Outcome
To understand the aspects and approaches to environmental management in a forum that encourages a holistic consideration of their attributes and intervention in order to better conceptualize future options and scenarios for improvement, the following will constitute the forum outcome:
 
  1. Internationally agreed development goals, presenting Liberia perspective and priorities in pursuit of sustainable development, and endorsing concrete programs and actions at the national, regional and international levels;
  2. The National Implementation Plan for Sustainable Development, specifying national priorities, mapping out the way forward and launching specific thematic and programmatic initiatives geared towards fortifying the EPA of Liberia, such as environmental educational awareness and institutional capacity building, creating an Environmental Science Unit (ESU) at the EPA of Liberia and an Environmental Research Center at Tubman University (TU);
  3. New partnership for sustainable development: AEW serving as a unique forum for constructive dialogues between all stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable development, providing opportunities for governments, international organizations and NGOs to showcase their successful program and practice, strengthen existing cooperation and build up new partnerships;
  4. To stimulate reflection and discussion on the way forward, scientifically, programmatically, and politically to support effective environmental management in Liberia, and;
  5. By drawing together representatives of key stakeholders to catalyze opportunity for networking and collaboration.
 
Sustainable Development Objective Targets: General Topics to Present on:
 
  1. Environmental Science and Research Objective
  2. Natural resources and sustainable management 
  3. Climate change and global warming – mitigation priorities
  4. Land use and zoning management Objective
  5. Environmental Laws, regulations and justice
  6. Air pollution management objectives
  7. Water resource management objectives
  8. Forest Management and biodiversity objectives
 
 
SECTION III:             
 
Estimated number of attendees to the Forum: 250 – 300
 
 
SECTION IV:          
Potential Co-sponsors of the Workshop/Conference and possible presenters to select from
  1.  Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA of Liberia)
  2. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  3. National Council for Science and Environment (NCSE)
  4. United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP)
  5. Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
  6. Conservation International (CI)
  7. World Bank African Region (WBAR)
  8. Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
  9. Africa Environmental Watch (AEW)
  10. U.S. Department of State
  11. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Division of Sustainable Development (DSD)
 
Other Participants
 
   SECTION V:         
12. Liberia Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
13. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
14. US State Department
15. US Agency for International Development
16. US Peace Corps
17. National Council for Science and Environment (NCSE)
18. United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP)
19. Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
20. Conservation International (CI)
21. World Bank African Region (WBAR)
22. Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
23. Africa Environmental Watch (AEW)
24. Liberia History and Educational Development (LIHEDE)
25. Liberia Embassy to United States
26. Sierra Leone Embassy to the US
27. Guinea Embassy to the US
28. Ivory Coast Embassy to the US
29. Alabama State University
30. African Union Mission to the US
31. Bowie State University
32. Howard University
33. George Washington University
34. George Mason University
35. John Hopkins University
36. Sierra Club
37. Greenpeace
38. Global Witness
39. Friend of the Earth
40. 350.org
41. Wildlife Conservation Society
42. Environmental Foundation of Africa
43. United Nations Foundation
44. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
45. Philanthropic Foundations – those interested in Liberia, West Africa, sustainable development and the environment
46. Businesses involved in Liberia natural resources sector
47. African Development Bank
48. Liberians living in the US
49. Representatives from other countries interested in Liberia
50. The business community
51. Fauna and Flora International


SECTION VI:   
 
Proposed Dates and Venue subject to alteration:
Venue: Washington, D.C
Dates:                         September 21st -22nd, 2011
a)                  September 21st, 2011-  Conference deliberation and evening
i)                    Keynote speaker, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia
ii)                  EPA of Liberia five years strategic gaols, Hon. Anyaa Vohiri, Executive    Director
iii)                 Experts presentations by selected institutions
iv)                Evening dinner
b)                 September 22nd, 2011 – forum breakout sessions and others
 i)                    Each breakout group assign a subject matter to analyze based on the deliberation and recommend the way forward
ii)                   All rapporteur report findings from each breakout session
iii)                 All report compiled and presented
iv)                Refreshment and adjournment
 
 
 
 

 

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