PAYNESVILLE AND MONROVIA AMONG FIRST CITIES TO WIN AFRICAN URBAN HEAT GRANTS

Addis Ababa, 10 September 2025 — Liberia’s Paynesville and Monrovia have been awarded the African Urban Heat Resilience Grants, joining Accra in Ghana and Kassa in Guinea as the first cities on the continent to benefit from this groundbreaking initiative.

The grants, announced by Climate Resilience for All (CRA) during the Africa Climate Summit 2.0, aim to help cities prepare for the growing threat of extreme urban heat. Each recipient city will receive $40,000 to support heat mapping, policy development, and community-driven awareness campaigns.

African cities are increasingly vulnerable to dangerous heat as climate change intensifies. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that the number of people exposed to prolonged heat waves of at least 15 consecutive days above 42°C could rise from 27 million in 2010 to 360 million by 2100 under 1.8°C of warming — and as high as 440 million if warming exceeds 4°C.

For Liberia, the recognition of Paynesville and Monrovia marks a critical moment in advancing resilience.

Mayor of Paynesville, Robert Bestman, welcomed the award, noting the city’s readiness to lead:
“We look forward to working with CRA and our technical partners to deliver the Urban Heat Island and Vulnerability Assessment Program, advancing a sustainable future for our people.”

Mayor of Monrovia, John-Charuk Saifa, said the support will help Liberia’s capital city address urgent risks:
“With CRA’s support, Monrovia will strengthen its capacity to identify heat hotspots, raise public awareness, and integrate heat resilience into city planning and service delivery. This partnership underscores our commitment to safeguard the health and livelihoods of residents.”

CRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Kathy Baughman McLeod, described the announcement as a new chapter in urban climate leadership:
“Today is a signal of a new era of African extreme heat leadership for cities grappling with life and work in brutally hot conditions. Women’s voices and solutions will also shape this new era, as they bear the brunt of the heat.”

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, who hosted the first African Urban Heat Summit earlier this year, applauded the selection of Liberia’s two cities:
“I celebrate Accra, Paynesville, Monrovia, and Kassa as the first cities to receive CRA’s Urban Heat Resilience Grants. This is proof that Africa is not waiting; we are leading and building a cooler, healthier future.”

With these awards, Paynesville and Monrovia are now positioned at the forefront of climate resilience in Africa, setting an example for other urban centers confronting the challenges of extreme heat.