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.

Ghana’s silent poison: Three years after landmark survey found children being poisoned by lead, slow pace of reforms is putting more children at risk

By Joyce Gyekye Summary: TEMA, Greater Accra Region — In this community and others around it, a threat that cannot be seen is quietly harming adults and children. E-waste and battery recycling operations are a growing industry in West Africa as the region becomes a dumping ground for waste products from Europe and the United States….

Joyce Gyekye
GBC

Donors Have Approved Nearly $300 Million More for Climate Adaptation. Can the Boakai Government Bring the Capacity and Commitment Required to Unlock It?

Liberia has nearly US$300 million in climate adaptation funding approved by international donors, but receiving and using the money will depend on the Boakai administration’s ability to implement reforms, strengthen public institutions and manage the funds transparently. The opportunity could help protect vulnerable communities, improve infrastructure and build resilience against flooding, coastal erosion and other…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

Donors Have Approved Nearly $300 Million More for Climate Adaptation. Can the Boakai Government Bring the Capacity and Commitment Required to Unlock It?

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate correspondent with New Narratives Summary Last year, the Boakai government made an ambitious promise to its people and the world: Liberia would cut emissions of the so-called “greenhouse” gasses that are causing climate change, by 64 percent by 2035, and make the radical adaptation efforts needed to protect the forests, farmers…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

Smoke and Promises: Inside Ghana’s slow-moving electric bus revolution

By Wonder Ami Hagan with New Narratives For twelve years Philip Quansah drove a trotro through Accra’s traffic, breathing in whatever came through the window. He didn’t think much of the catarrh (sinus congestion), the coughs, the headaches. They were just part of the job. Six months ago, he had the chance to switch to driving an…

Wonder Ami Hagan
Adom Online

This is unacceptable: Inside the Environmental Protection Authority Raid That Exposed an Illegal Chinese-Owned Gold Mine Using a Banned Chemicali

During the raid, EPA officials found evidence that the mine was operating without proper authorization and using cyanide, a highly toxic chemical banned in Liberia due to its devastating impact on water sources and human health. The agency described the situation as “unacceptable,” stressing that such practices not only endanger local communities but also undermine…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Video

This is unacceptable: Inside the Environmental Protection Authority Raid That Exposed an Illegal Chinese-Owned Gold Mine Using a Banned Chemical

By Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon, climate and environment reporter with New Narratives Summary GEORGE MOKO TOWN, Montserrado County – When the Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo stepped onto the sprawling mining site here in Todee District, he was stunned by what he saw. Before him lay acres of freshly cleared forest, excavators still at…

Nemenlah Cyrus Harmon
Frontpage Africa

Liberia’s Empty Harvest: How Gambling Is Draining the Labor from Rural Farms

The story highlights how gambling is pulling young men away from Liberia’s rural farms, leaving fields untended and harvests diminished. Many farmers complain that instead of working, laborers spend their days at betting shops, chasing quick wins. This shift drains vital manpower from agriculture, undermines food production, and deepens poverty in communities that depend on…

Joseph Titus Yekeryan
Video

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