2/3/2017
?
V.Kirushnananthy
Climate in Sri Lanka
Tropical country
Moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture
No significant annual variation in temperature in Sri Lanka
due to latitude
significant regional variation in temperature due to altitude
Rainfall pattern of the country is influenced by monsoon
winds from the Indian ocean and Bay of Bengal
Human interference with the climate system is one area where de-
coupling is particularly important.
There are no alternatives to many of the climate services provided by
nature, and several of the changes prompted by increasing
concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may prove to be
irreversible.
The national level actions have to play a critical role while international
cooperation is also important.
A New Country in Next Sixty Months-
Five Point Plan
In 2016, government hope to put into place strategies towards the
Climate
successful implementation of the five pillar development plan that has
been endorsed by the people.
Five pillar development plan is focusing on the five pillars such as
building up the economy, fighting corruption, ensuring freedoms for
Sri Lankan citizens, developing the infrastructure & investment and
developing education.
Currently it is engaged in the process of formulating strategies that take
into account our
geographic location
natural resources
human resources and
the significance of our ancient civilization and culture.
Climate change
Being a tropical island located in a disaster prone region, Sri Lanka is
vulnerable to impacts of climate change experiencing disaster prone
weather extremes.
As a significant population of the country is directly dependent on
weather-reliant livelihoods such as agriculture and fisheries, adverse
changes in weather patterns could lead to chaotic conditions.
Among the community groups that are more vulnerable to climate
change impacts are residents in coastal areas, rain-fed farmers in the dry
zone, fishing community, workers in the estate sector and small-scale
producers of export crops.
Milestones of national cooperation
Two major milestones of this national initiative are the National Climate
Change
Adaptation Strategy for Sri Lanka prepared in 2010
National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) formulated in 2012
The National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change Impacts in Sri Lanka
(NAP) presented as the next logical step of this initiative in 2015 for
2016-2025 by Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment.
1
 2/3/2017

Climate-related policies, such as energy efficiency, are often Climate Change Policies
economically beneficial, improve energy security, and reduce local
pollutant emissions.
The national policy on climate change of a country is usually
Climate change is influenced not only by the climate-specific policies comprised of these major categories.
but also by the mix of development choices and the resulting Mitigation policies
development trajectories. Adaptation policies
Making development more sustainable by changing development Other supportive policies
paths can thus make a significant contribution to climate goals.
The broad scope of climate change effects and their impacts over
various economic/social sectors and geographic regions, these
policy categories themselves are complex entities that involve
multiple strategies.

Among the major criteria that should determine the appropriate

choice of climate change policies are effectiveness, efficiency,
equity and sustainability.

Policy out look for Sri Lanka

Recent impacts from flooding and severe weather events emphasize the
risks that national infrastructure could face and the significant economic
damage such events bring.

Climate policies in To reduce the risk infrastructure faces from climate change, planned but
flexible adaptation responses are required. It is not about eliminating all
risks from climate change or extreme weather.
Sri Lanka It is about making the necessary interventions to the development plans
and practices to make sure what is being built will withstand the adverse
effects of any future event.

The policy outlook in this perspective is positive for Sri Lanka. Most
importantly, the governments vision document has also put a considerable
emphasis on the importance of building cities that are sustainable and are
able to withstand the effects of climate change.

The National Climate Change

Policy of Sri Lanka
Strategies in Sri Lanka
related to Climate

2
 2/3/2017

Strategy 1
National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Mainstream Climate Change
The NCCAS lays out a framework for action for the 2011-2016 period, Adaptation into National
with the aim of moving Sri Lanka towards a bright and climate change Planning and Development
resilient future.

The NCCAS mirrors and supports Sri Lankas national development

strategy and is aimed at ensuring its success and sustainability via
5 strategic thrusts

25 thematic areas of action

Strategy 2
91 priority adaptation measures
Enable Climate Resilient and
Healthy Human Settlements

Strategy 3 Strategy 5
Minimize Climate Safeguard Natural Resources
Change Impacts on and Biodiversity from
Food Security Climate Change Impacts

SVPs have been developed for the following key groupings of sectors,
Strategy 4 where climate vulnerabilities are expected to be critical in the Sri Lankan
context:
Improve Climate Agriculture and Fisheries
Resilience of Water

Key Economic Drivers Health

Urban Development, Human Settlements & Economic Infrastructure
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

National Adaptation Plan for Climate Connectivity to National Climate Change

Change Impacts in Sri Lanka 2016-2025 Policy and the Strategy
The NAP covers adaptation needs at two levels
adaptation needs of key vulnerable sectors
cross-cutting national needs of adaptation

Nine vulnerable sectors were identified in the consultation process;

food security
water
coastal sector
health
human settlements
bio diversity
tourism and recreation
export development
industry energy-transportation

3
 2/3/2017

Relevant policy documents

National Action Plan for Haritha Lanka Programme: identified climate
change as the third mission and selected certain strategies/actions relating to
both mitigation and adaptation(reducing GHG emissions)
Sri Lanka Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme 2014-
2018 (SLCDMP): a close connection to NAP identifying climate change as
a type of disaster and proposes actions to overcome the consequences of it.
National Action Programme for Combating the Degradation of Lands
in Sri Lanka (NAP-CDL): recognized climate change as a factor that can
intensify the degradation of land resources in future. It highlighted issues
such as soil erosion and landslides in up- and mid-country wet zone (upper
watershed) areas as critical issues together with actions to overcome them.
National Physical Plan (NPP): identified global warming as a
concern that can affect physical development activities of the
country. In addition, it covers someaspects of disaster risk
management too.
Sri Lanka Water Development Report 2010 (SLWDP): identified
climate change as a major driver of change in the water resources
sector.
Draft National Agriculture Policy: identified Assuring food
security and Ensuring environment sustainability as two major
pillars of the policy in making

Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP): recognized climate change as

a factor that can intensify the degradation of coastal resources in future. Its
main concerns include coastal erosion, coastal pollution and degradation of
coastal habitats. The NAP identifies impacts of climate change on the
coastal sector and proposes adaptation measures to overcome them.

Wana Ropa program Sri Lankas Obligations under the

National Tree Planting Month declared by the Ministry of the Environment,
setting different themes focusing on creative and sustainable planting.
It will accompany Punarudaya (renaissance), a larger program to drive
sustainable development.
Climate Policy Network (CLIMATEnet)
Climate Policy Network is a website dedicated to sharing ideas, information,
insights, news and resources on how to face the challenge of climate change.
UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol
Formulate policies and initiate measures that would mitigate emissions of GHG
and enhance sinks and reservoirs
Development of national inventories on GHG Emissions and baselines
Promote scientific, technological, socio-economic and other research on climate
system

It is launched by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) to inform
policy makers on better strategies and to create awareness among stakeholders on
different aspects of the challenges faced.
Sri Lanka Carbon Crediting Scheme (SLCCS)
SLCCS is a national offset scheme, which supports local clean projects to
benefit from climate finance for the emission reduction or removal of Green
House Gases(GHG).
Purpose of this scheme is to enhance the credibility, transparency and quality of
emission reductions efforts within Sri Lanka.
Integrated Climate Information Management System
To Assist Farmers Vulnerable To Climate Change, 2016
To improve the effectiveness of adaptation decisions of farmers and
policymakers/experts by establishing and pilot-testing models of Integrated
Climate Information Management Systems (ICIMS)
In collaboration with the Department of Meteorology of Sri Lanka (DOM),
Janathakshan (formerly Practical Action, Sri Lanka) and the South Asian
Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE)

Disaster Resilient City Development Strategies

for Sri Lanka Cities
The concept of climate resilient cities has now spread beyond the
metropolitan city of Colombo, and there are new initiatives focusing on
other townships as well, which are disaster prone and highly urbanized.
One such initiative is the Disaster Resilient City Development Strategies
Governance structures
for Sri Lanka Cities.
relevant to
The project is implemented by UNHABITAT in partnership with the
Urban Development Authority (UDA), Ministry of Local Government and
Provincial Councils, and the Disaster Management Centre.
climate change
This project aims to establish sustainable disaster resilient, healthy cities
and townships in disaster prone regions of Sri Lanka. It will be
implemented in Kalmunai, Batticaloa, Ratnapura, and Balangoda, which
are vulnerable to disasters.

4
 2/3/2017

Ministry of Climate change

Environment & secretariat,
Natural Ministry of
Environment &
Resources
Natural
Resources

Sri Lanka Institute of "Climate Change Issues in Sri Lanka

The acceleration of the warming process

Carbon Fund Policy since then had first worried scientists who
had been engaged in research in this area
(Private) Studies of and then civil society leaders and finally
policy makers and politicians.
Limited Sri Lanka The consequences of such an accelerated
global warming have also been identified as
(IPS) catastrophic.

The range of identified impact consisted of

many disasters. Some of them are the
gradual desertification of the earth, loss of
productivity of agriculture, rising of sea
levels submerging many low lying countries
under water, unexpected and sporadic
forest fires and finally making the earth an
uninhabitable place for species.

Sri Lanka Ministry of National Policy on Disaster Management

includes
Climate Disaster
Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) to be
Fund Management mainstreamed into overall planning and
development

Potential impacts of Climate Change on

disaster risks will be addressed.

Indigenous knowledge and material to

mitigate impacts of hazards including
climate change will be promoted.

5
 2/3/2017

Department
of
Meteorology

This foundation, officially chartered as

Department Foundation a nonprofit organization in 2003,
partners with the Sri Lankan
of For Government and academic institutions
to produce research on climate
Agriculture Environment, predictions and monitoring, disaster
management and early warning
Climate and systems. Current projects focus on
modeling the effects of climate change
Technology on agricultural systems, specifically
rice and sugarcane.

6

In addition,
National Science Foundation
National Research council
Ministry of Mahaweli Development & Environment
Ministry of Finance and Planning
Universities
Banks and Financial institutes
Urban Development Authority.
As developing economies, there is an immense pressure for countries
like Sri Lanka to target its infrastructure development to rural areas.
Despite this, studies show that the urban poverty is also considerably
high and on par with rural poverty. To make things worse, majority of
the urban infrastructure in Sri Lanka is not in a state to withstand
impacts of climate change, such as heavy rains and floods.
It has been a constant struggle for urban cities like Colombo to
withstand the adverse effects, which sometimes shuts down the
functionality of the metropolitan for several days.
Infrastructure policy makers had enough evidence to address these
issues yet, lack of proper planning and funds were often holding them
back.
Fortunately, with the post-conflict development boom, opportunities
were presented, policies were drafted and projects were initiated to make
urban cities more resilient to climate change.
2/3/2017
Policy challenges in
climate adaptation in Sri Lanka
A pragmatic approach towards adaptation policy has to fulfill a
few essential steps.
They are:
identify and evaluate likely impacts of climate change
assess vulnerability/adaptive capacity of key stakeholders
identify major gaps that affect effective actions against
impacts
appraise alternative strategies for overcoming gaps so that
the country can adapt to impacts in a successful manner.
Literature cited
1. Climate Change Secre-tariat (2011) Second National Communication on Climate Change,
Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
2. Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (2013) Chapter 8: Facing Climate Change
Threats: The Importance of Better Information. Sri Lanka State of the Economy 2013,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
3. Institute of Policy Studies (2013) Climate Change Issues in Sri Lanka. A compilation of
articles published in CLIMATEnetblog from Jan-Dec. 2013, Colombo, Sri Lanka
4. Ministry of Environment (2012) National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for Sri
Lanka: 2011-2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka
5. Ministry of Environment (2012) The National Climate Change Policy of Sri Lanka,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
6. Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy (2012) Technology Needs Assessment
and Technology Action Plans for Climate Change Adaptation: Technology Action Plan,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
7. Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy (2012) Technology Needs Assessment
and Technology Action Plans for Climate Change Mitigation: Technology Action Plan,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
8. Senaratne, A., N. Perera and K. Wickramasinghe (2009) Mainstreaming Climate Change
for Sustainable Development in Sri Lanka: Towards a National Agenda for Action.
Working Paper Series No.14,Institute of Policy Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka