News
Nitrogen is called godfather of environment pollution and silent killer – Minister Amaraweera
Sujeeva Nivunhella reporting from London
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that centuries after discovering nitrogen in Scotland, Sri Lanka was in a process of rediscovering nitrogen and writing history.
Addressing a side event of COP26 summit “Rediscovering Nitrogen Solutions and synergies for Climate Change, Health, Biodiversity and Circular Economy” at the Merchants House, Glasgow the Minister said Daniel Rutherford discovered nitrogen in 1772 and James Hutton established the world’s first nitrogen manufacturing plant in Scotland.
“Nitrogen is called the godfather of environment pollution and a silent killer that threatens life on Earth hence President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with courage and constant willpower, is leading the Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management” he said.
“Climate change discourse has been carbon centric for decades. The role of nitrogen pollution had been invisible. In the historic Paris Agreement and in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. We talk about net zero of GHG emissions. However, we have forgotten that nature’s carbon and nitrogen cycles overlap. We are afraid to accept that levels of atmospheric nitrous oxide and particulate matter are on the rise. As we rediscover nitrogen ahead of COP 26, the challenge for us is to make invisible nitrogen visible in climate change discourse”, he said.
Addressing another side event “SLYCAN Trust” meeting Minister Amaraweera said “Sri Lanka is a country which is highly vulnerable to climate change and many of our economic sectors are impacted by losses and damages which are induced by climate change. I believe for countries to build their resilience to face climate and disaster risks, it is very important that countries that are vulnerable to climate change, especially their people who face adverse effects are capacity built to face climate risks, as well as disaster risks which are aggravated by the changes due to climate change.”
He said that Sri Lanka has already established climate and disaster risk finance options which have been in existence for decades. For example, Sri Lanka has one of the oldest crop insurance schemes in the world, which focuses on addressing floods, droughts and other natural disasters. The funding allocation for this scheme is through the national budget which as a developing country is a tremendous contribution focused on ensuring that the country and its people are resilient to face climate risks and disasters.
He said by saying that “with the increase of climate impacts the need to scale up existing mechanisms is high. Therefore it is important that support for finance and technology, as well as technical capacity is enhanced for the country to address the needs of those vulnerable to climate change. This also includes the engagement of all stakeholders in efforts to scale up actions to address climate and disaster risks through improved systems and solutions, through collective, inclusive and participatory processes, which will benefit those who are at the forefront of climate impacts.”
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
