Over the past decades, environmental protection and management has become a major concern across the world given the effect of environmental degradation, including global warming, deforestation, desertification, and pollution. This has continued to undermine the quality of life on the planet.
Sierra Leone suffers from many environmental problems including deforestation, degradation and habitat fragmentation, the loss of soil fertility, a dramatic decline and loss of biodiversity, air pollution, and water pollution. In 2017, heavy rains triggered flash floods resulting to massive landslide, which culminated into a mudslide submerging and wiping out over 600 inhabitants. These problems hinder Sierra Leone from making progress with regard to economic development.
EPA was established under the EPA Act 2008 to supervise and coordinate all matters related to the environment countrywide, and to also advise and implement environmental policies on behalf of the government. The Agency plays a pivotal role in Sierra Leone’s development agenda through the implementation of the Government’s New Direction flagship projects, which recognizes environment as a cross cutting issue.