SL should do much more to save environment despite its low carbon footprint – Dr. Jasinghe

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka was on a low emissions path, but despite its low carbon footprint much more needed to be done to achieve set targets, Secretary to the Environment Ministry Dr. Anil Jasinghe said at the National Consultants for the Stockholm +50 Conference in Colombo yesterday.

He said: “We look forward to achieving 14.5% reduction of greenhouse gases and increasing our forest cover to 32% by 2030. Pollution is the least attended area in Sri Lanka, however, we have now introduced sustainable nitrogen management as a part of our priorities.”

Speaking at the state sector consultation which launched the series of consultations, Dr. Jasinghe said: “today the buzz word is the triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. These three together show that the globe is in a dire situation.”

He said that pollution was the least attended area in Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka had now introduced sustainable nitrogen management as a part of priorities.

The Environment Ministry Secretary urged that the voice of the environmental sector should be in unison for progressive-minded individuals to safeguard its interests.

“The efforts of the Ministry of Environment together with UNDP are timely in deciding our role at Stockholm +50. These consultations allow us to draft a country report with representation from all sectors in Sri Lanka,” he added.

The consultations cover three themes: (i) the urgent need for a healthy planet and prosperity for all; (ii) sustainable and inclusive recovery from COVID-19; and (iii) the implementation of the environmental dimension of the SDGs. Engaging with a wide range of stakeholders from the state and private sector, civil society, academia, provincial councils, media and youth, among others; the consultations will gather input and experiences through in-person and virtual workshops, as well as online responses culminating in the drafting of Country Report ahead of the Stockholm+50 conference in June 2022.

Emphasising the importance of green development as the world was recovering from COVID-19, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka Malin Herwig, said, “The journey, since the initial Stockholm meeting 50 years ago, has been strengthened by international dialogues and conferences through which global leaders have committed to protecting the Earth, culminating in the commitment to realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNDP in Sri Lanka, as the designated focal point, will conduct national consultations and support the development of the country report to feed into the global report which will inform proceedings at the Stockholm +50 Conference. We look forward to following up on the outcomes of the conference and supporting Sri Lanka on its green development trajectory.”