brand logo

Environment in focus 

10 May 2021

The South Asia Policy and Research Institute (SAPRI) recently conducted a webinar, “Environment in Focus”, that highlighted the contemporary challenges that we are facing today in terms of our world. The panellists were Prof. Sarath Kotagama, Dr. Ranil Senanayake, Dr. Shanmugasundaram Wijeyamohan, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga as moderator, Rainforest Protectors Convener Jayantha Wijesinghe, and National Green Front Leader Dr. Pathum Kerner.  The webinar touched on the institutionalisation of sustainable development in Sri Lanka, where Prof. Sarath Kotagama explained that Sri Lanka has achieved a high level of human development and many successes under the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of health, education, and poverty. The conclusion of the three-decade-long conflict in 2009 has led the country to a period of peace and prosperity.  “Sri Lanka has demonstrated its commitment to global efforts on sustainable development by being a signatory to several environment-related international treaties and conventions including the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Management. Since the endorsement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Government of Sri Lanka has undertaken several initiatives to facilitate its implementation in the country.” He further noted that these include the establishment of a dedicated ministry for sustainable development as the focal point for co-ordinating, facilitating, and reporting on the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs); the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee for Sustainable Development to provide political leadership for the implementation of the SDGs; and the enactment of the Sustainable Development Act No. 19 of 2017 to provide the legal framework for implementing the SDGs. The current policy framework of the country, he explained, further reflects the country’s commitment to sustainable development. Sri Lanka’s strategic development framework reflected through its long-term development plan, Vision 2025, Programme 2017-2020, and the “Blue Green” Budget of 2018 align significantly with the SDGs. Further, he highlighted the core values of Generation Z, expressing that they have the idea to change the world, as they believe in honesty and understand the importance of conserving the environment, and are up to date on social events that need action. “Their balance of work and social life reflects well on them, in a sense that they can make a change in the world, simply by speaking up – their actions speak louder than any words.” Jayantha Wijesinghe posed the audience an important question: “Do you know our country well enough?”, by which he used to bring light to the many issues we are facing in terms of the environment. Taking Mihintale – the world’s first sanctuary and animal hospital – as an example, he commented, we also had the world’s best irrigation system and hospital complexes since ancient times.  “We have Sigiriya and many other monuments that have made a huge impact on the world. Many famous figures – the likes of Marco Polo and other explorers – have named our country as a paradise, which opens the question: Do we see our country as such? With the environment being slowly destroyed, we may lose all these national treasures if we don’t take a stand now.”  Concluding, former President Kumaratunga raised the importance of setting achievable goals to protect the environment. She observed that Sri Lanka is taking several measures to accelerate the implementation of these development goals, adding that the country has recognised the need for transformation into a more innovative, knowledge-based economy, Sri Lanka is currently aiming at improving its technology and digitalisation sectors. In addition, Sri Lanka has undertaken initiatives with regard to awareness-raising and capacity-building, to ensure that the implementation of the goals is an inclusive endeavour.


More News..