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Lanka hosts Global Climate Promise Exchange Workshop
Sharing experiences on NDC implementation in partnership with Japan
Sixteen countries from Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Africa and Arab State regions gathered in Colombo, yesterday, for a global exchange workshop on climate action. The gathering will last until March 7. The aim of the workshop is for countries to share best practices, celebrate achievements and explore lessons learned from their work.
With the support of the Government of Japan, the United Nations Development Programme has assisted developing countries in translating their national climate pledges (also known as their Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs) into tangible actions since 2021. The funding is implemented through UNDP’s flagship initiative, Climate Promise.
Speaking on Japan’s contribution, Katsuki Kotaro, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan to Sri Lanka, noted that “we welcome the workshop involving 16 countries, including Sri Lanka, aimed at supporting decarbonization and climate adaptation efforts in developing nations, to be held through Japan’s supplementary budget. We anticipate that initiatives contributing to Green Transformation facilitated by Japanese companies’ technologies and participation will not only support climate goals but also aid Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. We express our renewed respect to Kubota Azusa, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka, for her efforts in implementing this project and organizing the workshop and look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”
During the workshop, countries will also share lessons learned on leveraging funding from Japan to advance their NDCs towards net-zero emissions and climate-resilient development.
“The Climate Promise has been a catalytic tool for UNDP to support Sri Lanka with its ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5 percent by 2030,” said Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka. “We are honoured to host this global event in Colombo to facilitate sharing of experiences and knowledge across countries and for UNDP to lay a strategic foundation to support counties towards the 3rd generation of NDCs.”
The workshop provides a crucial platform to explore key areas of climate action, including just transition, sustainable agriculture practices, clean energy and transport, adaptation, and more. Around 40 participants will share knowledge, field experiences, challenges, and solutions from their respective countries, emphasizing the importance of fostering partnerships and enhancing visibility efforts.
Dr Anil Jasinghe, Senior Additional Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Climate Change Office, Presidential Secretariat noted that, “Initiatives such as ‘Climate Promise’ are crucial for countries like Sri Lanka to accelerate our journey towards reaching climate action targets…On behalf of the Government and the Japan funded Climate promise project implementing countries present here, I would like to take this opportunity to thank UNDP and the Government of Japan for initiating these timely, crucial development projects and supporting countries to transition towards green development pathway.”
In 2022, under the second phase of the Japan Supplementary Budget (JSB) USD 23.6 million were allocated to support the implementation of the NDC goals in 16 countries across Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Africa, and Arab State regions.
In 2021, UNDP launched a new phase of Climate Promise – From Pledge to Impact – aimed at translating NDC targets into concrete action. Japan is the largest supporter of this phase and joins longstanding partners such as Germany, Sweden, the European Union, Spain, and Italy and new partners such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Iceland, and Portugal to accelerate these efforts.
UNDP’s flagship Climate Promise initiative has supported 85 percent of all developing country NDC submissions during the latest revision cycle, 91 percent of which raised mitigation ambition and 93 percent of which raised adaptation ambition. Nearly 95 percent of all NDCs supported included gender equality considerations and referenced youth inclusion. The revised NDCs also had higher-quality data and analysis.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
