Sri Lanka, a negligible contributor:

People - cause of global warming and climate change

By Dhaneshi YATAWARA

Climate change - a global phenomenon that was a mere hypothesise a decade ago is now unfolding in front of our eyes. We see it in deadly storms and floods. The nice warm weather is today becoming scorching hot - specially in the cities - even in the mornings. Arctic sea ice is melting faster every year fearfully causing changes in the ocean current which may cause different clashes in many regions. Scientists say if the green house effect - which strengthens the climate change - is going to continue in the present trend the atmospheric CO2 concentrations will be double the pre-industrial levels during this century. Natural eco systems get disrupted while affecting agriculture, industries, tourism, fisheries, etc. Climate Change vulnerabilities cut across many sectors in the economy.

Sri Lanka is a negligible contributor to global warming and some of the other South Asian countries are the same. However, we are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change thus urgent action is needed to enhance the resilience as individual countries and as a region.

In April 2010 Heads of South Asian States adopted the Thimpu Statement on Climate Change and agreed to implement it in earnest. This was not the first attempt. In July 2008 South Asia adopted the Dhaka Declaration on Climate Change and SAARC Action Plan on Climate Change by the SAARC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change.

And without stagnating at action plans SAARC countries gathered in Colombo last week to review the progress of implementing these initiatives. This was a meeting of the SAARC Inter-Governmental expert panel to review the strategies implemented by each country to mitigate climate change and to come up with a solid mechanism and a strong way forward to meet the future challenges of climate change impacts in the region.

The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established under the United Nations Environment Program has conclusively established that climate change and global warming are the direct result of human action. Today, all of us are experiencing the negative impacts of climate change," said Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa addressing the gathering. "Climate Change related incidents are making severe impacts on various economic sectors such as agriculture, industry, tourism, fisheries, etc. It also impacts upon social welfare sectors such as health through frequent occurrences of vector borne diseases and also contributes to increasing disaster risks," Minister Yapa added. Bringing attention of the expert panel Minister Yapa stressed that the sea level rise taking place due to the temperature rise and then global warming will impact upon human habitations, tourism infrastructure, livelihoods, fisheries and agriculture through inundation of cultivable lands and increase the salinity of fresh water.

Extreme weather events such high intensity rainfalls followed by flash floods and landslides, extended dry periods resulting water scarcity are now becoming common occurrences in our country as well. Thus, climate change related incidents are making a severe impact on various economic sectors such as agriculture, industry, tourism, fisheries etc.

As per SAARC traditions, the Meeting was opened by Pema L. Dorji, Director of SAARC Secretariat as Representative of the Secretary General of SAARC. In accordance with SAARC practices Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Leader of the Sri Lankan delegation was elected as Chairperson of the meeting. Requesting member states to ensure that national level initiatives contained in the Thimpu Statement are implemented in earnest Dorji stated that adverse impacts of climate change will hamper the achievement of the SAARC Development Goals (SDGs) impact negatively on the lives and livelihoods of millions in the region. Dorji stated that since 1987, the Leaders of SAARC have accorded high priority towards strengthening and intensifying regional cooperation to combat climate change and recalled the various initiatives being undertaken by SAARC.

The progress of the Thimpu statement was looked into through ten topics. Considering whether the Governments have taken timely action ensuring mitigation of climate change was one aspect. The group decided to hold meetings of the Inter-Governmental Expert Group on Climate Change in first quarter and third quarter of the year. It was decided to present a study on 'Climate Risks in the Region: ways to comprehensively address the related social, economic and environmental challenges" to the seventeenth SAARC Summit.

The commissioning will be through the SAARC Secretary General Uz. Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed. It was decided under the Thimpu statement to undertake advocacy and awareness program on climate change, among others, to promote the use of green technology and best practices to promote low-carbon sustainable and inclusive development of the region.

Among the most favoured climate-friendly actions are tree planting, forest conservation and proper disposal of waste.

Forests play a central role in the global carbon balance. Forests contain over two thirds of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, and are a source of vital ecosystem services which provide people with food, water, fuelwood and regulates climate and flood. Under the statement member countries have come to an agreement to plant ten million trees over the next five years (2010-2015) as a part of a regional afforestation and reforestation campaign, in accordance with national priorities and programmes of Member States.

The Terms of References (TORs) were set up for the Marine Initiative; Mountain Initiative, Monsoon Initiative, and Climate-related Disasters Initiative as finalised by the Inter-Governmental Expert Group on Climate Change (IGEG-CC).

The Initiatives should be implemented by the Regional Centres upon approval by their respective Governing Boards. It was decided by the expert group that the Governing Boards should set a time-frame for the implementation of these initiatives.

Considering the usage of ocean resource without over exploiting others' territories the expert panel agreed to commission a SAARC Inter-governmental Marine Initiative to strengthen the understanding of shared oceans and water bodies in the region and the critical roles they play in sustainable living to be supported by SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre.

Climate change is a complex, technical and rapidly evolving topic.

According to a survey done by the Bio Diversity Secretariat of the Environment Ministry in association with several NGOs in 2010 have found that nearly 9 out of 10 across the country have heard of climate change or global warming. Of which 36% are strongly concerned and 57% were somewhat concerned.

The impacts they most fear are water and food shortages, and the spread of diseases due to weather anomalies.

According to the study, the majority have heard about Climate Change for the first time through Mass media or through schools. The next most preferred sources are State agencies dealing with the subject, and people's own peer circles.

These are among the key findings of a countrywide survey on public perceptions on climate change in Sri Lanka, conducted in early and mid 2010.

The survey covered 1,000 men and women aged above 18 years, in urban and rural areas across all 25 districts of Sri Lanka.

This shows it is important to continue to educate the public on the adverse effects of climate change and how we contribute even in minute manner while implementing local and regional strategies to mitigate the problem. This would not be difficult as the same survey found that a little over 91% of those who claimed to have heard about climate change agree that climate change is caused by man-made global warming. Countries need to strengthen their abilities to adapt to climate change and move towards low-carbon societies.

Going beyond discussions countries also need to make sound policies, technologies and investment choices that reduce green house gas emission with a focus on scaling up clean and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and energy conservation if the region need to be saved from being destroyed by Climate Change.