Environment and Climate Reporting

New Narratives supports dozens of investigations into extractives industries and climate, land and water justice in West Africa each year. We shine a spotlight on the impacts on real people here on the frontlines of climate change. In Ghana our work has focused on the dramatic impacts of air pollution. In Liberia and Sierra Leone we have shone a spotlight on mining and oil industries as well as climate justice. We have highlighted the work of changemakers and supported the work of civil society organizations bringing transparency to these crucial sectors. See some of our work here. We thank our donors – the Clean Air Fund, American Jewish World Service, the Swedish and US embassies in Liberia, and German Development Cooperation – for supporting this work.

Cleaner air, lower costs: Electric bikes find early adopters in Ghana’s north

“Now I don’t inhale the smoke anymore,” Rahinatu says with a smile. “The ride is quieter, and I feel better.” Rahinatu is part of a small but growing shift in Bawku, where electric bikes are gradually changing how people experience their daily journeys. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen reports in this social media Video. To read more about…

Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen
Video

Liberia Goes Solar: Power Is Reaching More Liberians as a Record Number of Panels Enter the Country, but Experts Warn Access Challenges Remain

Liberia is experiencing a surge in solar energy adoption, with a record number of panels entering the country. This expansion is helping more households and businesses gain access to electricity, particularly in rural areas where the national grid is limited. However, experts caution that challenges remain, including affordability, maintenance, and ensuring equitable distribution of solar…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

Liberia Goes Solar: Power Is Reaching More Liberians as a Record Number of Panels Enter the Country, but Experts Warn Access Challenges Remain

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary Every morning before sunrise, Karrus Hayes loads a pickup truck in Paynesville and points it toward the interior. The road to Bapolu County is long. The road to Sinoe is longer. But he goes to those rural counties anyway because people there are waiting…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

Female Electric Kehkeh Drivers Are Breaking Barriers and Fighting Air Pollution

“Sherman’s journey reflects a broader shift taking place on Monrovia’s streets. A small but growing group of women is entering Liberia’s male-dominated transport sector through a fleet of electric kehkehs. The vehicles are helping Liberia address two persistent challenges: limited economic opportunities for women and worsening air pollution from thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles. For the…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

Liberia’s Rice Revolution: Experts Say A Proven Model Offers Hope to Break Dependence on Imports and Reduce Hunger

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, New Narratives climate and environment correspondent Summary Liberia is slowly adopting what experts say is a proven rice farming method that could help the country grow more food and reduce its dependence on imports. The program known as “System of Rice Intensification” has been used successfully in other countries to increase…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

African Development Bank Weighs Into Carbon Trading Debate Rejecting Government Claim that a Policy Was Linked to Bank Support

The African Development Bank has firmly rejected claims that its financial support to Liberia was contingent on the country adopting a carbon trading policy. In a statement, the Bank clarified that its recent financing package focused on fiscal sustainability and governance in the mining sector, with no mention of carbon trading. “Carbon market trading decisions…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

African Development Bank Weighs Into Carbon Trading Debate Rejecting Government Claim that a Policy Was Linked to Bank Support

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary On the evening of April 23, a group of ministers and stakeholders – including civil society and community leaders – gathered at a hotel in Monrovia for a stakeholder dinner with the goal of approving Liberia’s draft carbon market policy. The timing was urgent, they were told….

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

“The Noise Pollution Situation Is Not Under Control,” EPA Launches Crackdown as Experts Call for Public Awareness

Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency has begun a nationwide crackdown on noise pollution, targeting churches, mosques, bars, and entertainment centers that exceed legal sound limits. Backed by police and city authorities, the campaign includes fines and confiscation of loudspeakers, with officials stressing that noise pollution is not just a nuisance but a public health issue. Experts…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

“The Noise Pollution Situation Is Not Under Control,” EPA Launches Crackdown as Experts Call for Public Awareness

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, New Narratives climate and environment reporter Summary For decades, noise in Liberia has functioned almost like an unwritten right. Churches and mosques broadcast sermons across entire neighborhoods before the sun is even up. Nightclubs shake communities deep into the night. Generators roar through blackouts. Street parties spill into public space with little regard…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

Liberia’s Forests Could Be Its Biggest Economic Break — If the Money Reaches the People

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, New Narratives climate and environment reporter Summary: In Liberia’s dense tropical forests, where the canopy stretches unbroken for miles, the country is sitting on what could become a major financial windfall. Experts estimate the nation holds one billion tons  of stored carbon, the ecological inheritance of centuries-old trees that have quietly absorbed carbon…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

How Doctors In Ghana Are Leading The Fight Against Household Air Pollution

In Ghana, doctors are leading the fight against household air pollution, warning that smoke from charcoal and firewood stoves is putting millions of families at risk. With over 30% of households relying on charcoal and half still using firewood, children are the most vulnerable — facing respiratory infections, long‑term health problems, and even premature death….

Jennifer Ambolley
Video