On February 10, 1999 , President of the Republic of Liberia , Dakpannah Dr. Charles Ghankay Taylor established the National Environmental Commission of Liberia (NECOLIB) in recognition of the need to protect to the Liberian natural and human environments. In April 2000, the government of Liberia and UNDP signed an Environmental Project Document whose purpose was to provide technical and funding support for the evolution of NECOLIB into an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responsible for the coordination of sustainable  environmental management through the implementation of Agenda 21.  

Background 

Unregulated logging activities in National Forest Reserves, where clear cutting practices and construction of access roads take place, expose the forest to further threats by human settlement, farming, and mining.  Inappropriate mining had led to destruction of forest vegetation and important habitats, water pollution by heavy metals and the defacing of the landscape.  

In addition to the environmental problems resulting from the normal human activities, the environment-related problems resulting from the civil war. These problems stem from the lack of electricity and basic sanitary infrastructure, breakdown in the economic structure and the rural-to-urban rush--all have lead to survival strategies that create pollution and destructive reliance on the environment.  

Further, there are some 15 government institutions regulating different aspects of environment-related activities in Liberia .  The absence of an overarching environmental policy and legal framework resulted in overlapping and conflicting jurisdictions that sometimes lead to enforcement gaps that are detrimental to the environment.  

The UNDP-GOL Environment Project  

Development Objectives of the Project:  

1.      To strengthen the National Environmental Commission through capacity building;

2.      To promote Environmental Outreach Programmes nationally;

3.      To promote National Environment Management Policy;

4.      To facilitate international and regional cooperation and formulate strategies to meet GOL's obligations under conventions for environmental protection;  and

5.      To produce an environmental policy and prepare an environmental legislation  

Role of UNDP Environmental Project Staff:           

1. Provides technical support for NECOLIB;
2. Financial and material support
3. Build capacity in managerial and technical issues
4. Give overall direction for the sustainable management of the Liberian environment.

The UNDP Project Coordination and Management Team consist of a CTA, and NEO, a project secretary and a driver. As of 1 October, 2000 all the UNDP component of the staff had joined the NECOLIB management.  

Technical/Collateral Activities that Support the Commission:  

1. Drafted an organizational structure for NECOLIB;
2. Drafted the terms of reference for Environmental Units to be established in GOL ministries and agencies whose activities impact the environment
3. Started the  development of ideas on capacity building for the Commission and relevant ministries and agencies.;
4. A first draft of the NECOLIB brochure and other materials to better the image of the Commission to the outside world, like e-mail address and creation of an internet website.
5. Started liaison with the focal points for international conventions and protocols for the purpose of harmonizing activities under the commission. The focal points have briefed the commission on the activities that have taken place under each convention to date; 
6. Recruited a consultant to assist with the production of the environmental legal framework; 
7. Established the format for quarterly and annual reports;
8. Produced solid waste awareness workshops and brochures for NGOs;
9. Facilitated environmental drama performances by three dram groups as part of outreach programme

Highlights of Achievements  

1.      With UNDP funding,  NECOLIB's office was equipped with office machines, furniture and a generator  to facilitate the effective functioning of the Secretariat;

2.      The Plan of Action, which guides the activities of the Secretariat were formulated;

3.      The compilation of environment-related sectoral laws began and is continuing with the view to harmonizing these laws with the new environmental framework legislation being drafted;

4.      Chapters of the first State of the Environment Report for Liberia have been commissioned after the outlines approved and work on the second draft is in progress;

5.      A national environmental policy workshop, involving the various sectors of the community, was conducted and a report was generated to form the basis for the national environmental policy statement;

6.      The final draft of the National Environmental Policy is being finalized for submission to the government of Liberia .

7.      The final draft of the environmental framework legislation has been produced and is in the process of submission to the President. The legal framework is composed of two companion bills: one establishing the institutional arrangement and the other mandating the laws for the protection of the environment.

8.      NECOLIB conducted an environmental awareness workshop for the media and is beginning to gain media coverage.  NECOLIB has received more coverage since the workshop;

9.      NECOLIB conducted an environment-related NGO workshop fro which a profile survey is being complied to facilitate capacity building and networking among the NGOs;

10.  Liberia has become the 179^th to party the Convention on Biodiversity and is a member of the Governing Council of the Global Environmental Facility, the funding body for the CBD and other conventions on the environment;

11.  NECOLIB has been represented at regional and international environment-related conferences, among them:  The Eight African Ministerial  conference on the Environment, Abuja; The First Global Ministerial Forum on the Environment of the UNEP Governing Council, Malmo, Sweden; The Global Climate Change Sixth Conference of Parties to UNFCCC, as observers; The Fifth Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biodiversity, Nairobi and a variety of regional workshops. The Commission's participation provided opportunities for networking and soliciting support for Liberia 's environment protection efforts;

12.  NECOLIB has been selected as the National Coordinator for the Center for African Wetland to assist the country team to prepare a draft country report on Liberia 's wetlands;

13.  As support to NECOLIB, the UN Environmental Theme Group conducted a workshop to develop concepts for a Train-the-Trainer manual on the environment;

14.  The rudiments of an Environment Information System Center and Resource Center have been established at NECOLIB for internal use and use by the public;

15.  The first edition of the NECOLIB newsletter is in production;

16.  NECOLIB, in collaboration with the UN Environmental Theme Group is conducting a series of public forum on Agenda 21.  

 Conclusion  

Almost two years year since the President established the Commission, and 15 months since UNDP support of NECOLIB began, the Secretariat continues to function without adequate support due to the budgetary constraints of the Government of Liberia.  The UNDP support was intended to complement the GOL's budgeted funds for programs, projects and procuring necessary equipment. UNDP's project funds are currently the only consistent source of funding for the work of the Commission Under these circumstances, NECOLIB has done the best it could with limited resources.  

The major accomplishments of the UNDP Environment Project to date are the production of the second draft of the First Status of the Environment Report for Liberia , the final drafts of the National Environment Policy of Liberia, the Environment Protection Agency Act and the Environment Protection and Management Law.  The participatory process by which the last three documents was produced and the summaries of contents are available on this site.