The overall objective of the project was the reduction of poverty and achieving environmental sustainability in Sierra Leone.
The purposes of this contract were as follows:

• Strengthening of EPA management systems to achieve a good standard of efficiency and effectiveness, and laying a solid base for the further development of EPA;
• Strengthening of EPA’s performance in terms of Environmental Planning, mainstreaming, Strategic Environmental assessment. Environmental impact assessment and monitoring

The results of the project were as follows:
Expected Result 1: The Environmental Protection Agency Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) is fully operational, ensures the core functions of its mandate at central and decentralised level, and makes progress in becoming financially sustainable.

• General ICB support- managerial
• Technical improvement of EPA-SL procedures and knowledge base
• Provision of on-the job training to EPA-SL staff based on training needs assessment; Facilitation of individual training of identified key persons within relevant institutions on environmental governance
• Organisation of Workshops, participation in Conferences

Expected Result 2: Mainstreaming efforts by EPA-SL lead to the development of coherent environmental policies, regulations and standards on environment and climate change, and progress s is made on their implementation.

• Identification and promotion of mainstreaming actions
• Drafting of regulations, standards, guidelines
• Support development of Climate Change Secretariat

Expected Result 3: The environmental awareness of the general public, particularly the youth and women, in relation to environmental governance and climate change (through the design and implementation of pilot projects) has significantly increased.

• Implement Actions for climate change and Public Awareness

Expected Result 4:The professional skills level on environmental management and climate change in Sierra Leone is increased in priority areas.

• Support to University for environmental education

The problems identified were basically an inadequate management of the environment and natural resources, in turn fed by a series of issues, the main ones being: weak environmental institutions; weak and incomplete regulatory framework; and very low level of environmental awareness amongst the population. This situation was exacerbated by accelerated environmentally sensitive developments (e.g. mining, agro-industry) in the absence of strong environmental institutions and of an appropriate environmental regulatory framework.