1,720,986 research outputs found
Climate Finance in Sri Lanka: A Critical Review of Current Status, Implementation Gaps and Strategic Way Forward
No full textThis review analyzes the current landscape of climate finance in Sri Lanka, examining key challenges and opportunities in mobilizing and deploying financial resources for both climate adaptation and mitigation actions. Through a comprehensive analysis of policy documents, institutional frameworks, and financial instruments, this research employs a systematic review methodology focusing on both public and private sector climate finance initiatives. The analysis reveals that while Sri Lanka has made notable progress in establishing foundational frameworks, including the Green Finance Taxonomy and sustainable finance roadmap, significant challenges persist in scaling up climate finance. Current findings indicate that green lending comprises only 1.4% of the total banking sector portfolio, highlighting a substantial financing gap against the country's climate commitments. Given that Sri Lanka ranks 22nd in the World Risk Index, reflecting its significant vulnerability to natural disasters, it is particularly concerning that approximately 19 million people are projected to live in areas at risk of floods or droughts by 2050 (World Risk Index 2024). According to Sri Lanka's Climate Prosperity Plan, the country requires approximately USD 26.5 billion by 2030 for climate actions, with 69% focused on mitigation and 31% on adaptation efforts. At COP28, the Government further indicated a need for USD 100 billion to achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050. These investments are crucial for meeting the country's commitments, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5% during 2021-2030 and generating 70% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The study finds that innovative financing mechanisms, such as green bonds, carbon credit markets, and debt-for-nature swaps, remain underutilized despite their potential to bridge the funding gap. The review concludes that addressing Sri Lanka's climate finance challenges requires a multi-faceted approach focusing on developing bankable projects, strengthening institutional capacity, and fostering innovative financial instruments. Key recommendations include enhancing project development across key sectors, implementing targeted fiscal incentives for green lending, strengthening public-private coordination, and leveraging international climate finance opportunities. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners working to accelerate climate action through improved financial mechanisms in developing economies.
Keywords: Climate finance mechanisms, Green taxonomy, Sustainable finance, Climate adaptation, Mitigation strategies, Financial innovation, Carbon neutralit
Conservation of Coastal Agriculture and Forestry–towards a Sustainable Blue Economy
Full text linkBlue economy is an economic system or sector that seeks to conserve marine and freshwater environments while using them in a sustainable way to develop economic growth and produce resources such as energy and food. In terms of the global economy, around 90 per cent of all internationally traded goods are shipped by sea, and the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at US$3 trillion per year or about 5 per cent of global gross domestic product. Sustainable use of ocean, seas and marine resources, as set out in SDG14, lies at the center of a sustainable blue economy. Sri Lanka‘s coastline is 1,340 kilometres and approximately 33 percent of Sri Lanka's population lives in coastal areas that support diverse livelihoods, from fishing to tourism to manufacturing and modern urban services. The coastal areas often provide excellent soil and climatic conditions for agriculture, which has been practiced for thousands of years and plays an important role in the economy of coastal areas. Apart from the traditional rice based farming systems it also comprise of coastal fishing and coastal aquaculture, seaweed cultivation, coconut based cropping systems, commercial cash cropping systems and homestead farming systems. With regards to forests, mangroves, coastal forests, savannah woodlands, dry forests are present in these areas. Further, coral reefs, sea grass beds, salt marshes also play an important role in sustaining the balance as together they provide habitats for biodiversity, food, shade, medicine, products for the industry, protection of the coastline and carbon sequestration. However, these ecosystems are threatened due to numerous factors; climate change (as it induces flooding, shoreline erosion, salinity intrusion, temperature rise), due to conflicting activities such as operational in these coastal areas such as infrastructure including shoreline structures (harbors, breakwaters, tourist hotels), other tourism activities, industry etc. On the face of this, these ecosystems are often in the frontline to get depleted. The habitats are also getting modified due to the increase of toxicity from both inland and marine pollution, invasion of species. Therefore more concerted effort need to be exerted for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources if the country wants to reap the benefits of the blue economy sustainably. As oceans are shared by many countries, actions need to be taken at country, region and even global levels in the areas of regulation, technology transfer, enhancing awareness and education. A mechanism for regular monitoring is a must and this responsibility need to be shared by all the stakeholders. It is imperative to zone the coastal areas so that complementary activities will be lumped together. It is also required to strengthen the already available international agreements between the member countries such as South Asian Seas Programme, Programmes with the International Maritime Organisations, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), BIMSTECH in arriving at regional policies and action plans and implementation of same with proper monitoring. The quantification of the resource is a vital step. It is also important to operationalize the Coastal Zone Management Plans in existence and declare Special Area Management Sites to ensure conservation and sustainable use of these resources.
Keywords: Coastal agriculture, Forestry, Blue economy, Sustainable development goals, Management plans 
The Importance of Forestry in the Pledge of Arriving at Carbon Neutrality in Sri Lanka
No full textAccording to Emissions Gap Report 2021, climate pledges combined with other mitigation measures put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7° C by the end of the century which is above goals of the Paris climate agreement which intended to keep the global temperature rise less than 2° C. Sri Lanka had pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050 and has adopted a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which is a timely requirement to reduce GHG emissions. It considered six key GHG emitting-sectors; energy, transport, industry, waste, agriculture and forestry. While all other sectors will contribute to the GHG emissions, forestry sector will be the only carbon sink. According to the Third National Communication for the UNFCCC submitted by the Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment, by 2030 with the proposed mitigatory measures the GHG emissions from the energy (electricity, transport, household, commercial and manufacturing industries), industrial processes and products use, waste and agriculture will be 33,669 (GgCO2eq) whilst the sinking potential of forests will be 3,873 (GgCO2eq) which is 11.5%. Sri Lanka’s forest cover (currently at 29.15% of land area) is comprised of dense forest, open and sparse forest, savannah and mangroves (Forest Department, 2015). Despite the fact that the rate of deforestation had been much reduced over time, still it is declining at the rate of about 7,500 ha/yr. The causes for this loss are cleared to make way for agriculture and plantations and for larger infrastructure projects (dams, roads, human settlement etc.), illegal felling, forest fires etc. In addition to the deforestation, a considerable extent of forests both natural and manmade had become degraded and with poor quality. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by Sri Lanka to the UNFCCC following the Paris Agreement in 2016 was recently updated for the period 2021-2030. The increase of the forest cover to 32% of the total land area, improvement of the growing stock of natural and manmade plantations, strengthening watersheds, improvement of the trees outside forests including home gardens, urban forestry etc. were included in these NDCs. This paper discusses the challenges to achieve these targets and the recommendations to overcome them.
Keywords: Carbon neutral, Forests, Nationally determined contributions, Low carbon development strateg
Climate Change Research in Sri Lanka: Assessing Current Status, Identifying Gaps, and Recommending Emerging Priorities
Full text linkClimate change poses a formidable threat to Sri Lanka, necessitating extensive research to comprehend, mitigate, and adapt to its multifaceted impacts. This abstract reviews the current state of climate change research in the country, underscores existing gaps, and proposes key priorities for future investigations. Notably, current research primarily concentrates on agriculture, water resources, and coastal ecosystems, highlighting the impacts of rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events. Vulnerability assessments, adaptation strategies, policy frameworks, and public awareness initiatives have also been explored. Disparities in research adequacy emerge across mitigation areas, with renewable energy potential and forest and land use showing satisfactory outputs, while energy efficiency, transportation, agriculture, and waste management demand strengthening efforts. Recommendations for enhanced climate change mitigation underscore the need for detailed studies on the country's renewable energy potential to inform low-carbon energy sector policies. Strengthening research on energy consumption patterns and opportunities for efficiency improvements is crucial. Similarly, a call for intensified research on the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and sustainable transportation options is made. Local emissions factors and sequestration factors for diverse forests and land uses are identified as essential. In agriculture and livestock, emphasis is placed on researching emission profiles and sustainable practices. The waste management sector requires strengthened research on practices, methane reduction, and sustainable techniques. Carbon pricing and market mechanisms demand enhanced research on implementation and implications. Further recommendations extend to fostering innovative, climate-friendly technologies, evaluating the effectiveness of existing mitigation policies, understanding public attitudes, promoting green finance, establishing a comprehensive carbon footprint database, and exploring co-benefits of mitigation actions within broader sustainable development goals. In the realm of climate change adaptation, the need for additional studies in underrepresented areas like health, ecosystems, biodiversity, export agriculture, industry, energy, transport, tourism, human settlements, infrastructure, coastal, and marine areas is highlighted. Future research should aim for diversity in regional coverage, conduct thorough evaluations of policy implementation, and emphasize the social dimensions of climate change policy and governance. A holistic approach that incorporates multiple perspectives and engages local stakeholders is proposed to enhance the effectiveness of climate change policy and governance strategies.
Keywords: Climate change, Research, Adaptation, Mitigation, Recommendations
 
The Status of Climate Change Vulnerability and Resilience in Jaffna Peninsula
Full text linkSri Lanka’s average annual temperature could rise by 1.0o C to 1.5o C by 2050 even if carbon emission reduction measures are taken as recommended by the Paris Agreement of 2015. Approximately 19 million people live in locations that could become moderate or severe hotspots by 2050 under the carbon-intensive scenario. Several provinces in the country including the Northern Province emerge as hotspots for climate change vulnerability. This paper analyses the resilient capacity of Jaffna Province to climate change challenges. Secondary information taken from government sources supplemented by observations of the researcher are used for this analysis. Jaffna is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka and located in the far north of the country in the Northern Province. It has an area of 1,025 square kilometers. The climate is considered to be tropical monsoonal with a seasonal rhythm of rainfall. The temperature ranges from 26o C to 33o C. Annual precipitation ranges from 696 mm to 1,125 mm. The north east monsoon rain (October to January) accounts for more than 90% of the annual rainfall. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to the rest of the island by a small strip of land. Its underground water is used for drinking, agriculture and industry. Paddy cultivation is rain fed but only for three months during the North East monsoon period. The unique geomorphological set up in Jaffna peninsula area is characterised by the underlain Miocene limestone formations which are generally 100 to 150 m thick and distinctly bedded, well jointed and highly karstified, thus giving rise to the shallow aquifer of the peninsula which consists of the channels and cavities (karsts) of this Miocene Limestone. The total population of the district is around 600,000. Agriculture and fisheries have been the principal economic activities of the district. Over 60% of the work force in the district depends on agriculture for their livelihood. About 86,000 families are engaged in agriculture while 15,000 families engage in fishing. Agriculture in the district contributes substantially to the GNP of the country. The average land holding area is around 0.5 to 0.75 acres (3,000 m2). Unemployment in the rural areas is 27.9% while in the urban area it is 25.8%. From the meteorological records from 2008 to 2018, it is shown that the annual average rainfall shows a decline from 2015 onwards although a peak of 1800 mm was shown in 2015 causing severe floods in the entire Peninsula (2,247,225 cum). The average annual temperature also showed a peak in 2016 and then showed a declining trend thereafter. The minimum temperature also showed a similar pattern having a peak in 2016 and then a declining thereafter. According to the climate predictions in 2080, Jaffna Peninsula will have an average annual temperature increase between 4.10o C to 4.50o C under very severe climate change scenario. Similarly the change of rainfall will be 0.1% to 20.0% in 2080 (Punyawardene, 2013). The thin fresh water lens over the saline water makes the Peninsula very vulnerable by way of water quality as salt water intrusion can happen if not careful. Already there is a threat from over extraction of water from the tube wells with the influx of population after the war. The existing storm water drainage system in the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) is functioning sub optimally due to non maintenance and irrational behaviors of inhabitants who use the drains and ponds as dumping channels of solid waste and waste water. This reduces the ground water recharge which will reduce the fresh water further. In addition to this, due to the discharges of industrial, agricultural and domestic effluents, the water is polluted. The relatively high percentage of families with low incomes (below 5,000 per month), small and medium scale commercial entities show poor environmental consciousness. Poor law enforcement and institutional capacity of the institutions especially JMC makes matters worse thus causing the Peninsula very vulnerable to climate change related disasters. Keywords: Jaffna Peninsula, Climate change, Vulnerability, Resilience, JM
Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation: The Case of Western Province, Sri Lanka
Full text linkSri Lanka, as an island and developing nation, is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Occurrences of natural disasters due to extreme weather conditions such as prolonged droughts, flash floods and landslides deprive lives and livelihoods of people. Building resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems over climate change effects within a broader framework of sustainable development remains the country‘s priority. The Western Province is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. It is the most densely populated Province in the country and is home to the legislative capital Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte as well as to Colombo, the nation's administrative and business center. The Province is located in the southwest of the country and has an area of 3,684 square kilometres and 5,821,710 people. It comprises of three administrative districts; Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara. The Western Province provides the highest contribution to the Gross Domestic Product contributing 41.2% of the Provincial Gross Domestic Product (PGDP), the highest being the service sector (56.5%) followed by Industrial sector (34.6%) and then agriculture (1.7%). With regards to the climate change impacts, the most significant ones for the Province are recurrent flooding as a result of an increase in average rainfall coupled with heavier rainfall events, increase of the minimum temperature and thus the decrease in the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures and also sea level rise as certain parts of the Province borders the coast. The key vulnerable sectors of the Province are food security which comprise of agriculture (including both crops and livestock) and inland fisheries; water resources which includes both drinking water and irrigation, coastal and marine, ecosystem and biodiversity, human settlement and infrastructure, tourism and health. In addition to these sectors there are cross cutting sectors which includes policy, legal, economic and governance, Institutional development and coordination, International cooperation and partnerships and research and development which have a significant stake to the magnitude of impact. Among the adaptation interventions the following are being implemented/proposed for implementation; Climate Smart agriculture/practice and other alternative agricultural systems, increase storage capacity of water, rational management of water distribution and use, collection of data on the endangered/to be extinct/vulnerable fauna and flora due to climate change and protect them, conduct research including citizen research to identify the changes in biodiversity due to climate change, integration of climate change impacts into new and already prepared development plans and construction of salinity barriers. Most of these interventions had been included in the implementation plans of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) by relevant agencies which is in accordance with the Paris Agreement (2015) and submitted to the and the submission of the revised NDC to the UNFCCC with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers in the country. However, the full implementation of same requires to improve the capacity in institutions including human resources, finances and technological interventions which needs urgent attention.
Keywords: Climate change, Adaptation, Western Province, Impact, Vulnerabilit
Ensuring Sustainability through Environmental Assessments in Sri Lanka: A Critical Review of Status, Gaps, and Way Forward
No full textThis review critically examines Sri Lanka's environmental assessment framework, focusing on implementation gaps across different scales of development projects and their cumulative environmental impacts. The study evaluates current assessment mechanisms and proposes recommendations for strengthening environmental governance at national and sub-national levels. The analysis of Sri Lanka's environmental assessment framework reveals that while robust requirements exist for large-scale projects, significant gaps persist in addressing impacts of medium and small-scale developments. Despite their individual modest scale, projects such as small-scale tourism developments, informal settlements in sensitive zones, and scattered industrial facilities collectively contribute to substantial environmental degradation, often escaping rigorous environmental scrutiny. Critical weaknesses include inadequate attention to environmental examinations at local government level, poor implementation of Environmental Management Plans, and weak monitoring mechanisms. These challenges are exacerbated by insufficient technical expertise and staff capacity at provincial and local levels, alongside limited awareness among stakeholders, including financial institutions. Recommendations include establishing Strategic Environmental Assessment mechanisms for evaluating cumulative impacts, strengthening environmental examination procedures at Pradeshiya Sabha level, enhancing institutional capacity through increased technical staff and training, developing stakeholder awareness programs, and strengthening monitoring mechanisms. These measures aim to ensure sustainable development across all project scales in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Environmental assessment, Cumulative impacts, Institutional capacity, Environmental management, Sustainable developmen
Towards Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Way Forward
Full text linkA city is a sizable and enduring human settlement distinguished by its intricate network of structures, infrastructure, and social, economic, and cultural institutions. Cities play a vital role in a country's global economic growth and development, fostering agglomeration of economies, serving as centres of innovation and technological advancement, acting as major hubs for finances and employment, and facilitating infrastructure development while providing access to broader markets. Often specializing in specific industries or sectors, cities offer amenities such as healthcare, education, employment, and recreational opportunities that enhance their appeal to residents seeking a high quality of life. However, the majority of unplanned cities grapple with the challenge of balancing economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Key issues include rapid population growth, urban sprawl, inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, conflicting interests among stakeholders-particularly regarding development versus conservation and pressing environmental concerns like pollution, improper waste management, health issues, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires cities to evolve into 'Living Cities,' where human settlements can flourish indefinitely as part of nature's beauty and diversity. Achieving this balance involves integrating economic, social, and environmental perspectives. This paper presents detailed strategies under various subheadings, including Integrated Urban Planning with a focus on promoting public transport, increasing green spaces, and conserving biodiversity. It also covers Water Conservation, measures to enhance resilience to climate change impacts, such as strategic infrastructure siting and nature-based solutions, and the promotion of renewable energy and green building concepts to conserve finite resources. Efficient waste management is highlighted to ensure a waste-free urban environment. The paper underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement, involving the public, private sector, NGOs, and communities in the decision-making process through participatory planning and citizen engagement. While acknowledging existing supportive policies and strategies in the country, the paper emphasizes the need for their enforcement and proper implementation to achieve the desired target of sustainable cities-living cities where human populations thrive harmoniously as part of nature's beauty and diversity.
Keywords: Living city, Sustainable city, Urban, Settlement, Integrated planning
 
The Impact of Climate Change Across Sri Lanka Using Dengue Incidence as an Indicator
Full text linkClimate change which is the ultimate outcome of global warming is now universally recognised as the fundamental human development challenge of the 21st century. Impact of climate change include extremes in weather events and increase in the ambient temperatures. Among many adverse consequences, health impacts are also very significant. The impact of climate change had been studied using dengue incidence as an indicator in the present study since the vector of the dengue fever, the Aedes mosquito is highly sensitive to climatic variations. Seven out of 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka were randomly selected representing all climatic zones; wet zone, intermediate zone, dry zone for this study. The districts thus selected were Colombo, Gampaha, Kurunegala, Ratnapura, Batticaloa, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya. Monthly dengue incidence data for selected seven districts were collected over a 10 years period from 2006 to 2015 from the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health. Monthly minimum and maximum temperature and mean rainfall data for the selected seven districts were collected from the Department of Meteorology. The significance of the impact of climatic parameters such as rainfall, temperature were tested on the incidence of dengue across years, across months in each year and across the districts. Poisson regression model was tested for all the 7 districts and the best model was fitted using the parameters; number of dengue cases in the previous month, number of dengue cases in the same month of the previous year, rainfall of the given month of the given year, minimum temperature of the given month of the given year, average temperature of the given month of the given year, difference of the maximum and minimum temperature of the given month of the given year. The results revealed that the incidence of dengue is at the highest in Colombo District, followed by Gampaha and then Kurunegala. Nuwara-Eliya District showed the lowest. In all the districts, the incidence showed a leap from 2009. There was a significant difference between the years and the districts in dengue cases. The incident rate of number of dengue cases of all the 7 districts in the given month of the given year increased by 0.03% for every unit increase in the rainfall of the given month of the given year. Similarly, the incident rate of the number of dengue cases of all the 7 districts in the given month of the given year increased by 4% for every unit increase in the difference of the temperature of the given month of the given year. This study concludes that the incidence of dengue is related to the climatic variations such as rainfall and temperature which are used as indictors of climatic change impact.Keywords: Dengue, Climate change, Districts, Impact, Rainfal
From Second National Communication to Third National Communication for the UNFCCC: Sri Lanka’s Progress
Full text linkSri Lanka is a signatory country to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and therefore is expected to provide information on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, measures to mitigate and to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change, and any other information that the party considers relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention.Sri Lanka is now in the preparation of the 3rd National Communication. This paper attempts to review the status of the implementation of the recommendations provided by the Second National Communication (submitted in 2010) in the area of Green House Gas mitigation in the backdrop of the expectations of the Third National Communication. The targets of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) were also considered in this context. The sectors dealt with here are power, transport, industries, agriculture, land use, land use change and forestry and waste. In general considerable action had been taken towards implementation of the recommendations put forward by the Second National Communication (2NC). However more work needs to be done to fulfil the expectations fully. With regards to the power sector, despite the expectation of the INDCs to provide 50% of the energy demand from Non-Conventional Renewable Energies (NCRE) by 2030, the Long Term Generation and Expansion Plan of the Ceylon Electricity Board envisages only 26.27% from NCRE by 2034 while the contribution from coal increased to 56.91%. The recommendation of 2NC to introduce natural gas as an alternative for base load generation has not materialized. With regards to the transportation sector which emits about 50% of carbon dioxide, there had been certain policy directions towards ensuring sustainable transport modes but the progress is rather slow. Some strategies and action plans in this regard are National Transport Master Plan, Road Sector Master Plan and Western Megapolis Action Plan which collectively aims at enhancing the use of public transport of higher quality and encourage its use while constructing and maintaining high quality transport modes including road and rail. Clean Air 2025 and Blue Green Era directives also accentuates these intentions. Greening the industries remain largely voluntary. The Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment has introduced two very important tools; National Green Reporting System (2011) and Green Procurement Policy (2015). The Blue Green Era Policy advocates green infrastructure and green industries. In the area of agriculture, National Agriculture Policy Framework and National Food Production Programme (2016-18) identifies the requirement of production of safe food by promoting eco-friendly practices and minimizing agro chemicals and pesticides in food crop production. The policy on toxin free country also is in agreement to this. With regards to the land use, land use change and forestry, the major attempt is the production of the National REDD+ Investment Framework and Action Plan in 2017. It encompassed three policy areas; forest, wildlife and watersheds, land use planning and other forested lands. In the waste sector, while National Policy on Solid Waste Management (2007) and Pilisaru Project are struggling to achieve their objectives, plans are underway to form a single waste management authority for the country and also introduce instruments such as Polluter Pay, producer Responsible etc. to minimize the pollution from waste streams. A Waste Management Plan for target provinces had been prepared by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment with the assistance of UN HABITAT in 2017. There is some interest in waste to energy projects.Keywords: National communication, Transport, Waste, Forests, Recommendations, Powe
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