Chiang Mai, Thailand – Two employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia are currently participating in a major international training course on climate change in Thailand. The program, titled “Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation: Pathways for Sustainable Development,” brings together participants from around the world to explore practical solutions to the growing climate crisis.

The Liberian representatives are Victoria Jones, Head Inspector for the EPA’s Compliance and Enforcement Department in Margibi County, and Timothy R. Yoko, Administrative Assistant and Chief of Office Staff to the Executive Director.

The two-week training, running from May 19 to 30, 2025, is being held at the Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, in northern Thailand.

The course is designed to help developing countries like Liberia better understand and respond to climate change, especially through mitigation (reducing the causes of climate change) and adaptation (dealing with its current effects). It includes lectures, workshops, and field visits to successful Thai projects, such as smart farming systems and renewable energy models.

Participants are learning how to:

1. Calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
2. Build local climate action plans,
3. Design policies that fit their community needs.

On the final day, all trainees will present a draft adaptation policy based on what they’ve learned — a key step in bringing new ideas back to their home countries.

The EPA says the training is vital for Liberia’s fight against climate change. As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts like flooding, sea-level rise, and changing weather patterns, Liberia stands to benefit greatly from practical knowledge and international collaboration.

With this training, Jones and Yoko are expected to help strengthen Liberia’s climate response and support the nation’s path toward sustainable development.

-30-