Sri Lanka's Middle Path to Sustainable Development 'Mahinda Chintana
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Sri Lanka’s Middle Path to Sustainable Development through ‘Mahinda Chintana - Vision for the Future’ Country Report of Sri Lanka United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development / (Rio +20) 20-22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DIVISION MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT - SRI LANKA June 2012 I Sri Lanka’s Middle Path to Sustainable Development through ‘Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future’ Country Report of Sri Lanka United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development / (Rio +20) 20-22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2012 edition Copyright : Ministry of Environment, 82, “Sampathpaya”, Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka ISBN :978-955-567-000-5 Prepared by : EML Consultants (Pvt) Ltd. No 68, Davidson Rd, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka Printed by : Vistart Advertising (Pvt) Ltd Published by : Ministry of Environment, 82, “Sampathpaya”, Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka Funded by : United Nations Development Programme, Sri Lanka Cover page : Ayoma Jayasinghe - Sanikna Art House Sustainable development ensures the prosperity of the earth: the cover page describes the importance of interlinking the land and the ocean ecosystems for achieving sustainable development and conserving inland ecosystems as well as enriching the ocean and marine ecosystems. ii SRI LANKA COUNTRY REPORT WRITING TEAM Advisors Mr. B.M.U.D. Basnayake, Secretary, Ministry of Environment Dr. B.M.S. Batagoda, Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Planning Mr. Gamini Gamage, Addl. Secretary (Environment and Policy), Ministry of Environment Dr. R.D.S. Jayathunga, Director (Sustainable Development), Ministry of Environment Ms. Indu Weerasuri, Dy. Director General, Urban Development Authority Ms. R.H.M.P. Abeykoon, Dy. Director, (Sustainable Development), Ministry of Environment Dr. L.P. Batuwitage, Ex Addl. Secretary (Envt. and Policy), Advisor, Ministry of Environment Prof. W.L. Sumathipala, Ex Director (Climate Change), Advisor, Ministry of Environment Lead Authors Mr. Thilak Hewawasam, Prof. Krishan Deheragoda, Mr. Kapila Munasinghe, Dr. Susi Perera, Mr. Palitha Muthukuda, Dr. T Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, Mr. T. Sooriyagoda, Mr. Rohantha Athukorala, Prof. Raja Gunawardena Authors Mr. K.A.K. Jayatilake, Mr. S Senarathna, Dr. M Weerasooriya, Ms. P.D Pindeniya, Ms. M. N Wijeyeratne, Ms. D Kannangara, Mr. D Liyanapathirana Editorial Review Team Mr. S.M. Sathicama, Proj. Manager, Switch-Asia Programme, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Anu Weerasuriya, Mr. S M Banduseela, Mr. Udage K. Sumanadasa Lead Supports Ms. Navoma Karunarathne, Research Assistant, Ministry of Environment Mr. Asanka Wijewardane, Programme Assistant, Ministry of Environment Special Assistance Ms. Ambika Tennakoon, Environment Management Officer, Ministry of Environment Ms. H.M.H.E. Herath, Research Assistant, Ministry of Environment Ms. Menik Pradeepa Ranweera, Programme Assistant, Ministry of Environment Ms. Chandima Mohottige, Programme Assistant, Ministry of Environment Project Manager Ms. P. Dhammi Pindeniya, EML Consultants (Pvt) Ltd. Coordinator Dr. Kalyani Dias, EML Consultants (Pvt) Ltd. Secretariat Assistance H. K. Lakma Kushanthi, EML Consultants (Pvt) Ltd. iii iv Message of H.E. the President of Sri Lanka The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio+20 – is a significant step in the global initiative for nature friendly progress. Following the Rio Principles or Agenda 21 adopted at the Rio Earth Summit 1992 we have now moved to building stronger partnerships among countries and major stakeholder groups on the need for sustainable development. Sri Lanka is fortunate to be associated with these new trends in protection of the environment and the natural assets of our planet, as we pursue the path of development in harmony with nature. In these tasks we draw much from our past that has established important traditions in the care and protection of nature and the environment. The Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future, which is the development policy of our government, gives the highest priority to all aspects of environmental protection, caring for nature in the move towards sustainable development in all aspects of social and economic progress. Our country is now in a better position to pursue these goals in the context of peace that has been restored and the new moves towards social and communal harmony, contributing to governance that is fair and just by the environment and nature. Sri Lanka looks forward with much expectation to the deliberations of this Rio+20 Conference which will take forward our commitment towards global sustainable development together with all countries that recognize the importance of environmental protection and value the assets of nature. I wish this Conference every success in the united quest for global sustainability, and trust it will show the path for further progress in this urgent need for a proper and balanced development that does not exploit nature to the point of destruction. May the cause of global sustainability be heard the world over. Mahinda Rajapaksa The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka v Message of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June this year (2012), is indeed a landmark event on global sustainability in redirecting our common endeavors at harmonizing environment and development nationally, regionally and globally. Sustainable Development is nothing new to Sri Lanka. It is deeply rooted in our society as a way of life and as an integral part of our economic pursuits. The unique hydraulic civilization which flourished for over 1500 years was the high watermark reached by our forefathers in applying ecological checks and balances to counter nature’s adverse interventions. Sustainable development is a process. There are mainly three conditions to be satisfied before the process is set in motion; namely, changes in thinking, deciding and executing. In thinking, we have to break away from old concepts, attitudes and approaches. Today, our understanding of human development is materialistic. We should now change the direction of our thinking to higher realms of moral and spiritual upliftment. Establishment of an institutional framework for sustainable development is the prime important strategy to achieve its goals and objectives. Sustainable institutions are indispensable providing sound organization, management and motivation to cope with countervailing process in different times. By removing counterproductive traits ingrained in the administrative machinery, a high degree of congruence in policies, programmes and implementation could be achieved to mitigate the damage caused to the environment through incorrect policy regimes. I find the Country Report of Sri Lanka to Rio+20 Conference “Sri Lanka’s Middle Path towards Sustainable Development, through ‘Mahinda Chinthana - Vision for the Future” is a remarkable and comprehensive document which described the national efforts that have been taken during the past 20 years to achieve the sustainable development goals and its’ achievements. It is my belief that the global community gather in Rio de Janeiro will find a concrete solution for multiple global crises and the sustainability of our mother-earth. D.M. Jayarathna The Prime Minister of Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka vi Foreword Twenty years ago in 1992, when the international community gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development which is known as the “Earth Summit” expectations were raised and commitments made, anticipating change in how countries the worldover manage environmental issues together with economic development. That landmark event put forward the issue of sustainable development backed by the document of “Our Common Future”, the report of the World Commission of Environment and Development. This year, in 2012, when the global community will gather at the same place, Rio de Janeiro, for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to evaluate where we stand today and to decide the kind of future that we wish to have, it would be under significantly different circumstances than in 1992. Despite the remarkable achievements made during the past twenty years on sustainable development, critical problems such as depletion of natural resources, imbalances of food security, poverty, energy, water and climate change are yet to be resolved, while new problems such as financial and economic crises are emerging globally. Negative impacts of these issues are spreading worldwide irrespective of their origins. In this context, none of the countries will be able to resolve these problems in isolation. Despite these external forces, Sri Lanka was able to make significant achievements in the path of sustainable development. Solving the internal conflict that prevailed in the North and the East for nearly 30 years paved the way to a significant extent to enable this journey towards sustainable development. High economic growth in the country is expected which will enable the government to improve the standard of living of all the communities, while conserving its natural resource base. The document, “Sri Lanka’s Middle Path towards Sustainable Development, through ‘Mahinda Chinthana - Vision for the Future” presents the achievements we made during the past twenty years playing our role as a member of the global community and indicates our way forward in our journey of