Climate change and environmental damage are two of the most dramatic challenges facing the world today. Liberia is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Like many other countries in Africa, Liberia both faces existing environmental issues, as well as substainable development challenges. Because of its location in Africa, it is vulnerable to extreme weather, coastal effects of sea level rise, and changing water availability.

As a result of climate change, the average temperature and rainfall in Liberia continues to increase, which has led to increased frequency of national hazards such as coastal erosion, terrestrial flooding, loss of mangroves forest by Sea intrusion and associated impact on fishing and wildlife are the most prominent. Other prominent impact of climate change on Liberia's ecosystem is the loss of plants and animals biodiversity.

The mean air temperature is unanimously projected to increase by 0.4 °c to 1.3°c . The average increase in the 2020s for temperature is estimated at 0.6°c while the average increase in my 2020s for rainfall is estimated at 3% for Liberia.

In fact, increased temperature as a result of climate change has started to expand the ranges and to enhance the survival rates of forest pests; such as the case of the armyworms caterpillars outbreak which occurred in the rural region of Liberia in 2009.

Liberia is endowed with diverse natural resources and ecosystems. It has varied ecosystems which include mineral ores, forest, grassland, mangroves, wetlands, rivers, lakes and the continental shelf, hosting approximately 600 bird species, 125 mammal species, 74 reptile species and 1,000 insect species. These resources, therefore, are in a critical condition due to the substained climate change mentioned above.

The need for addressing the issue of climate change in our own environment is a great start if we are to tackle this problem for the betterment of our world.

References:

" The impact of climate change on the ecosystems of Liberia"

Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia 

www.epa.gov.lr

www.wikipedia.org