Category: Environment
FAO Appeals for USD 16.5 Mn to Restore Livelihoods after Cyclone Ditwah Devastates SL’s Agrifood Sector
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome issued an appeal calling for international assistance of USD 16.5 million to support the early recovery of livelihoods and food security for farming, livestock-keeping and fishing communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. Cyclone Ditwah represents one of the most severe climate shocks the country has […]
Ditwah causes widespread devastation to agriculture, fisheries & rural livelihoods in SL: FAO
Cyclone Storm Ditwah made landfall on 27 November 2025 and lingered over the country for nearly three days, bringing exceptionally heavy rainfall that triggered severe flooding and numerous landslides, resulting in widespread devastation nationwide. As of 16 December 2025, official reports confirm that more than 2.2 million people have been affected, representing about 10 percent […]
Hambantota Port Emerges as Marine Biodiversity Hotspot with Over 8 Unique Fish Species
A new baseline study by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, at Ocean University of Sri Lanka has revealed a thriving ecological marvel beneath the waters of Hambantota International Port (HIP). Despite being an artificial breakwater, the reef at HIP now supports the highest diversity of reef-associated fish in Southern Sri Lanka, outperforming natural […]
New Livestock Insurance Scheme to Be Launched to Protect Sri Lankan Leopards
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka under its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) together with the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and LOLC, under the guidance of the Department of Wildlife Conservation is launching a groundbreaking “Livestock Insurance Scheme in Sri Lanka. This initiative aims to reduce retaliatory killings of the endangered Sri […]
Sri Lanka to Establish Doppler Weather Radar at Puttalam with JICA Funding
Sri Lanka is set to establish a Doppler weather radar in Puttalam, thanks to funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve the country’s weather prediction and disaster preparedness. The island nation, surrounded by vast sea areas like the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, […]
U.S. Embassy Colombo Achieves LEED Gold Certification as Sri Lanka’s 50th Gold Certified Building
U.S. Embassy Colombo announces the achievement of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification, becoming the 50th building in Sri Lanka to earn this globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building program recognizes energy efficiency, water management, waste reduction, and indoor environmental quality execution in the […]
Innovative Water Management Techniques Revolutionizing Paddy Cultivation in Sri Lanka
For centuries, rice has been the heartbeat of Sri Lankan agriculture, with over one million hectares of paddy fields cultivated annually, accounting for 37% of the country’s land use. But as climate change accelerates, the task of managing water resources, especially for paddy, has become ever more challenging. The Green Climate Fund financed Climate Resilient Integrated […]
JICA Provides Emergency Relief Items to Sri Lanka for Flood and Landslide Victims
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Sri Lanka by providing emergency relief items to assist those affected by recent floods and landslides. This gesture underscores Japan’s long-standing partnership with Sri Lanka. In a symbolic handover ceremony held at Bandaranaike International Airport on December 7, 2024, His Excellency Isomata Akio, Ambassador […]
ComBank commences planting 10,000 trees in Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has embarked on a project to plant 10,000 trees in the northern districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi as part of the Bank’s country-wide effort to promote sustainability. The trees are to be planted on 600 acres of land owned by the University of Jaffna in Kilinochchi and Jaffna, and on […]
JICA handed over Composting Machinery at Karadiyana to Western Province Governor
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supported National Solid Waste Management Support Centre, Waste Management Authority and a number of relevant organizations to jointly develop Solid Waste Management Master Plan in Western Province (MP). On 4th July 2024, a ceremony was held to officially handover the equipment and machinery provided under the JICA-MP project at Karadiyana […]
Global Environment Facility grants USD 5mn to Environment Ministry & UNDP to implement project on chemical disposal
Sri Lanka does not manufacture products which contain POPs or Mercury. However, many products containing these substances are imported to the country for various uses every year. Though stringent regulations have been introduced, a lack of capacity in the application of these regulations results in the continued mismanagement of chemical imports to the country. The […]
SL and the UK agree a new partnership to work together to protect marine environment
This week the Ministry of the Environment and the UK government’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations, to protect and enhance the marine environment. Mr. Prabath Chadrakeerthi, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Sara Rusling, Deputy Director for the UK’s Department for Environment, Food […]