EPIC Air Quality Fund recognizes Clean Air Liberia Project for helping establish the country’s first long-term PM2.5 monitoring network
Monrovia, Liberia | April 21, 2026, Liberia’s environmental and public health efforts have received major international recognition, with the Clean Air Liberia Project being named among a select group of awardees acknowledged for achieving national policy impact in 2025.
According to a communication from the EPIC Air Quality Fund, the project’s work has contributed to the establishment of Liberia’s first long-term PM2.5 monitoring network combining low-cost sensors and reference-grade monitoring. The achievement will be recognized at the Africa Clean Air Forum, scheduled for July 14-16, 2026, in Pretoria, South Africa.
The recognition highlights the growing impact of the United Methodist University (UMU), which has been working in partnership with the University of Ghana, its Afri-SET Program, and the Kigali Collaborative Research Centre (KCRC) to strengthen air quality monitoring, research, and policy engagement in Liberia. It also reflects broader national collaboration involving the Carbon Markets Authority (CMA) and the Blue Economy Secretariat, which operates under the CMA and is helping to connect environmental science, policy, and institutional coordination.
Sheck Sherif, Project Lead of the Clean Air Liberia Project, described the recognition as an important milestone for Liberia.
“This recognition is a proud moment for Liberia. It shows that with committed local leadership and strong partnerships; we can build systems that generate credible environmental data and support national policy. Clean air is not only a scientific issue; it is a public health and development issue, and this achievement gives Liberia a stronger foundation to act.”
The President of the United Methodist University, Cllr. Medina Wesseh said the recognition affirms the role of higher education institutions in national development.
“The University is proud to be associated with an initiative that is producing practical value for the country. This recognition affirms the importance of academic institutions in generating evidence, building capacity, and contributing to national development through research and partnership.”
From the policy and institutional side, Madam Jeanine M. Cooper, CEO and Presidential Envoy of the Carbon Markets Authority, said the achievement demonstrates the value of coordinated national engagement.
“This achievement is encouraging for Liberia because it demonstrates the value of collaboration between national institutions, academia, and international partners. It also reinforces the importance of building systems that can support environmental governance, public accountability, and long-term sustainability. The CMA is pleased to be working alongside UMU and related partners in this broader effort to track and understand our emissions, and later to improve the quality of the air we breathe.”
The University of Ghana also welcomed the recognition as a sign of meaningful African academic collaboration. Dr. Allison Hughes, Head of the Department of Physics, University of Ghana, said:
“We are pleased to see this work in Liberia receiving international recognition. Partnerships of this kind are important because they strengthen scientific capacity across the region and show how African institutions can work together to generate knowledge that directly supports policy and public wellbeing.”
The recognition is expected to further raise Liberia’s profile in the clean air and environmental policy space, while also strengthening collaboration among UMU, CMA, KCRC, and the University of Ghana. It marks an important step in positioning Liberia to advance evidence-based action on air quality, environmental health, and sustainable development.
About the Clean Air Liberia Project
The Clean Air Liberia Project is a collaborative initiative working to strengthen air quality monitoring, public awareness, research, and policy engagement in Liberia through partnerships among national, regional, and international institutions.
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