Biodiversity safeguards mooted in building contracts
April 2, 2016
ECONOMY NEXT –Sri Lanka’s private sector is considering ways to introduce safeguards in construction contracts to protect the island’s rich biodiversity which is threatened as economic growth gathers pace amid a building boom.
Companies which voluntarily include biodiversity safeguards at higher cost risk losing contracts to bidders without the same regard for the environment, a forum on ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity in the Construction Sector’ was told.
The island’s construction sector has emerged as the fastest growing sector since the ethnic war ended in 2009.
Construction projects funded by foreign donor agencies come with stringent controls like built in biodiversity safeguards, speakers told the forum organised by the biodiversity unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
But most locally funded contracts lack such safeguards while local agencies do not have the same strict monitoring of foreign donor agencies.
Anandalal Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law and former consultant to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, suggested all contracts come with build-in biodiversity safeguard clauses.
“Safeguards should not be part of competitive bidding. “They should be fixed, which every client has to take into account and budget for.”
Saranga Gajasinghe, Safeguard Specialist and Consultant to Asian Development Bank, said donor funded projects have special safeguard clauses but that’s not the norm in most projects.
“Whether it’s donor funded or not we are polluting the environment and we should not do it. We should take our own protective measures,” he said.
Gajasinghe, who has also worked for Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority, said environmental management plans are part of RDA bid documents.”So bidders must consider mitigation measures and price on that.”But he noted that in practice where such conditions are not enforced, construction firms ignore biodiversity safeguards to reduce their costs and win bids by offering lower prices.”I know of a well-known project where the environmental management pricing was zero and the contractor got the contract and there was no money even to spray water,” Gajasinghe said.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=143101
Environment becomes a casualty when economy progresses:pm- Daily Mirror
Environment becomes a casualty when economy progresses:pm
When mega development projects are implemented it is natural that environment issues are cropped up
The environment becomes a casualty in many instances when economy progresses – the infrastructure development in particular – takes the fast track Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
Addressing the launching of the National Programme ‘A Toxin Free Nation’ under the government’s vision of ‘Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture’ at the BMICH, Mr. Wickremesinghe said governments were committed to carry out development projects and ensure economic progress to provide jobs, electricity, food, education and health service etc to the people.
“When mega development projects are implemented it is natural that environment issues are cropped up. However, it is the responsibility of any government to take measures to protect the environment through legislative measures. That is why the Central EnvironmentAuthority was established in 1982, by late Prime Minister R. Premadasa,” he stressed.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said President Maithripala Sirisena gave pledge to the country that he would ensure a sustainable development based on protecting the nature during the January 2015 Presidential Election campaign and a number of Ministers of the government have been tasked to fulfil that pledge.
A toxin free nation will put an end to the use of chemical fertilizer, pesticide and weedicide in agriculture. A number of cabinet papers are in the pipeline to implement these policies in a priority basis, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe stressed.
The pioneer of the National Programme ‘A Toxin Free Nation’, JHU Parliamentarian Ven Athuraliye Ratana Thera said the government’s vision to build a culture of ‘Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture has become a reality under the strong leadership of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
“The ministers and parliament members were watching helplessly the destruction caused by private companies by forcing farmers to use chemical fertilizer and pesticide and weedicide. There was no response from the government and private fertilizer and chemical companies dictated to the government. But today, under the leadership of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, we are in a position to save the country and the people from this danger ,” Ven. Ratana Thera said.
Ven. There expressed hopes that the mission would be a success as Sri Lanka was the very first country that banned highly poisonous Glyphosate while many other countries still use the chemical as a pesticide.
Why Conserve Marine Mammals and Environmental Health of the Ocean?- Daily Mirror
Why Conserve Marine Mammals and Environmental Health of the Ocean?
In an attempt to address this issue, the first international expert and stakeholder conference on marine mammals titled ‘The Environmental Health of the Ocean’ was hosted recently at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall
“SRI LANKA IS BORDERING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SEA LANES OF THE WORLD” – COCONVENER OF ONS JUSTICE P. A. RATNAYAKE “WHALES WOULD COME FIRST; A COMMITMENT WE MAKE IN PURSUIT OF OUR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES”DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT SALIYA WICKRAMASURIYA The ultimate result of this has left us with a very important realization that while oil gas exploring is crucial and development is a vital factor benefiting the country, we would like to make a commitment that in the pursuit of this opportunity the whales would come first
Have you ever borne testimony to the graceful gliding of a whale that cuts its way through the swift currents of the rippling blue ocean? One of the oldest and most magnificent of sea creatures, whales are unique marine species that should be protected at all costs. However the very existence of whales and the rich marine biodiversity we own have been endangered due to the marathon run by business rivalries in pursuit of commercial gains and the selfishness of mankind in general. Therefore, it is a timely need to raise awareness among all stakeholders including the maritime and private sectors and the Government concerning the protection of these marine mammals and safeguarding the environmental health of the ocean.
Whale watching, which trends as one of the main tourist attractions, has immensely contributed to the tourism industry of Sri Lanka. Nearly 300 whales migrate annually off the southern coast of Sri Lanka in search of food. Satellite images have confirmed the abundance and frequency of whales in maritime zones where estuaries are very often located. However, these images have also proved that whales are frequent in many areas of the ocean surrounding the country. While the boost it has on the tourism industry is immense, this has contributed to the abundance of whale watching cruise services established country wide which is a very good income generator for Sri Lanka. Organisers of whale-watching-trips and environmental conservationists have time and again requested the Government to redirect oil tankers that fleet past the Dondra Head to another direction because the possibility of whales dying or being maimed after colliding against these vessels, also commonly known as ‘ship strikes’ are considerably high. This has also resulted in the potential for whales to move away from the Sri Lanka coastline and swim to foreign shores; a factor that could adversely affect and have serious implications for the whale watching industry in Sri Lanka. However, since the shipping route that cuts across Dondra Head is a leading international shipping route, business stakeholders fear that a shift in the shipping lane could affect trade negatively. In 1980 when this issue came into the limelight, the International Traffic Separation
Scheme at Dondra Head was created under the guidance of former NARA head Dr. Hiran Jayawardene. With Dondra Head as the focal point, an International Traffic Separation Scheme was established fifteen nautical miles off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. To date, no incident of ship strikes have been reported, owing to Traffic Separation Scheme. Such measures further amplified the income of the whale watching industry and attracted more tourists than ever before.
It has been estimated that nearly 5,000 oil tankers navigate the route through Dondra Head annually. The Colombo and Galle Ports have earned a massive income by supplying petroleum and other services to such ships. Private sector companies also engage as service suppliers for these vessels. Such business had a positive impact on the country’s economy. Stakeholders of the whale watching industry have repeatedly requested that the shipping routes are taken further away from the Sri Lankan coastline where whales frequent because this would augment the chances of the country’s economic prospects in the future. Since taking the shipping routes further away from the coast is a tedious task, people engaged in the whale watching industry fear that the imminent threat to whales from ship strikes still prevails.
In an attempt to address this issue, the first international expert and stakeholder conference on marine mammals titled ‘The Environmental Health of the Ocean’ was hosted recently at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall with special reference to the issue of ship-strikes and the IMO Traffic Separation Scheme at Dondra Head. The three- day conference focused on safeguarding all marine species including whales, the conservation of the marine bio diversity while further discussions were held concerning the Traffic Separation Scheme at Dondra Head. The programme was also dedicated to find out if whales were actually moving away from the Sri Lankan seas towards foreign shores and if any ship strikes had been reported recently as claimed by businessmen in the whale watching industry. The event was organized by CRIOMM (Center for Research on Indian Ocean Marine Mammals) in collaboration with ONS (Our Nation and the Sea Initiative) and IOMAC (Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Co-operation).
Addressing the gathering, Co- convener of ONS and retired judge of the Supreme Court Justice P. A. Ratnayake said that the current traffic separation scheme in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka is based on Article 22 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He emphasized that it was crucial to ensure
that in the process of safe guarding the marine environment, it is equally important to warrant that the country’s economy was not placed in jeopardy. In addition he stressed the significance of the shipping industry t o the country’s economy. “When we are dealing with the ocean, the marine environment is one of the most important areas. Nevertheless, at the same time we should be mindful of the fact that shipping is of extreme importance for the economy of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is bordering one of the most important sea lanes of the world. The present traffic separation scheme that we have on the territorial sea of Sri Lanka was initiated, based on Article 22 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Dr. Jayawardene played a key role in the creation of the present traffic separation scheme. In my view it has been satisfactorily functioning for a considerable period of time,” Justice Ratnayake said.
Moreover, he said that if the conference was to discuss the traffic separation scheme, then stakeholders needed to act in accordance with the Article 211(6) of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Adding that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has designated Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAS) under this provision, Justice Ratnayake stated that the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO was handling areas designated under PSSAS. “We have to communicate with these individuals to initiate proceedings with regard to any traffic separation scheme. An IMO resolution was passed in this regard in 2005 which deals with PSSAS. In 2009 the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of IMO had given some guidelines to member states and it had laid out procedures to deal with whale strikes and so on, but I found that only governments of the member states could invoke these procedures,” he added.
Addressing the conference, Director General of Petroleum Resources Development Saliya Wickramasuriya said that Sri Lanka had a rich land and maritime bio diversity considering its strategic geographical location. Adding that despite the Petroleum Resource Development’s intention to proceed with oil gas exploration in Sri Lanka, he stressed that it was crucial to protect marine mammals and safeguard the environmental health of the ocean.
“In 2012 following the gas discovery in Sri Lanka, we were confronted with a little interest over oil and gas companies in offshore Sri Lanka. What is important for the oil gas potential for this country is the geographical location of Sri Lanka 200 million years ago. In the Jurassic Period, we were neighbours of Mozambique. The opposite side of the Mozambique Ocean was the centre of the African rift which was at that time the continental of Gondwana, which was a very fertile, extremely enriched catchment area of organic matter. So we share our deposition of environment with Mozambique where the largest gas discoveries of the world have taken place. So, from that standpoint we have an interest to contend with, and it is our intention to proceed with such exploration and develop national resources as sensitively as possible.
We were invited by Dr. Jayawardene as well as sixteen other governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders for a series of meetings in 2005 to draw guidelines on environmental management protection for our off shore areas.
The series of meetings resulted in a new approach to prepare guidelines with respect to marine mammal protection and preservation of off shore areas to be given to oil gas companies wishing to enter Sri Lanka for exploration. The ultimate result of this has left us with a very important realization that while oil gas exploring is crucial and development is a vital factor benefiting the country, we would like to make a commitment that in the pursuit of this opportunity the whales would come first,” Mr. Wickramasuriya said.
The conference reiterated the significance of empowering the whale watching industry and safeguarding all marine species including whales. Stakeholders engaged in the shipping and maritime industry were entrusted with the dual responsibility of strengthening the country’s economy as much as preventing the potentials for any ship- strikes that could result in the death or injury of whales. While more awareness should be raised regarding the conservation of whales, it is crucial that all individuals should endeavour towards the country’s development with a conscience and love dedicated towards the protection of the oceanic environment and its marine species, including the gentle giants of the ocean.
Bolgoda Wetland Conservation Programme, March 3, 2016
Sri Lanka Water Partnership together with Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Sampath Bank Plc organized a Stakeholder Consultative Seminar on Conservation of Bolgoda Wetland, the largest natural freshwater body in the island on 29.02.2016. The participants, following interactive discussions, came up with practical suggestions to protect Bolgoda wetland.
Polythene baddies hammered from tomorrow-31 Jan 2016 Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
By Malaka Rodrigo
Any form of polythene or plastic takes hundreds of years to decay, polluting the environment, but thinner polythene is more evil as it cannot be recycled. Burning it causes the emission of poisonous gases such as dioxin, so such polythene ends up in garbage dumps.
The Central Environment Authority (CEA) will from next month systematically begin raiding the manufacturers and sellers that do not comply with the ban on polythene less than 20 microns in thickness.
Big demand: A shop that sells only ‘sili sili’ bags in Pettah. Pix by Indika Handuwala“In January, we made some raids and those found guilty had been given chance to adjust to alternatives. But from February onwards, we will take legal action against those who do not comply,” a CEA spokesman warned.
The manufacture, sale or use of polythene less than 20 microns in thickness was banned from 2007 under the National Environment Act under the directive of President Maithripala Sirisena while he was the minister of environment but the law has until now not been properly implemented.
The thickness of polythene sheets is measured in microns – a unit resembling 0.001 millimeter. These thinner polythene sheets are mostly used in shopping bags or “sili sili bags”, lunch sheets and other packaging materials.
Any form of polythene or plastic takes hundreds of years to decay, polluting the environment, but thinner polythene is more evil as it cannot be recycled. Burning it causes the emission of poisonous gases such as dioxin, so such polythene ends up in garbage dumps.
Dumped bags clog the drainage system, creating floods. Animals such as cattle also feed on polythene bags found on rubbish heaps and become ill or die.
The water collected in these disposed bags and wrappers can collect rainwater, making breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread diseases such as dengue. Polythene dumped in waterways finds its way into the ocean, choking and killing marine life.
According to a survey conducted by the Environment Ministry 72 per cent of villagers and 49 per cent of people in urban areas in the Western Province use polythene lunch sheets.
In total, about 500,000 metric tonnes of polythene and plastics are imported into Sri Lanka with 70 per cent of this going into domestic use while 30 per cent is used in export-related industry.
The positive side is that about 40 per cent of the plastics and thicker polythene is being recycled. The CEA currently has six recycling plants in operation and two more awaiting commissioning. About 160 firms involved in plastic recycling are registered with the CEA and this number is expected to increase.
Worryingly, 60 per cent of the plastic and polythene used domestically ends up in garbage.
The authorities hope the ban on thin polythene will be effective. In Bangladesh, which banned the use of polythene bags in early 2000, media reports say polythene is making an illegal comeback.
A change in consumer attitude is key to the success of the strategy. Experts recommend the widespread teaching of the 3R principles: Refuse, Reuse and Recycle. As consumers, we all have the power to refuse a polythene bag when it is not necessary and we can carry reusable bags.
Wildcats in the shadow of the leopard also vanishing- 7 Feb 2016 Sunday Times
By Malaka Rodrigo
The death of a full-grown jungle cat at the hands of a speeding motorist late last month highlights the worrying fate of these animals while public concerns focus on fatalities of their more magnificent cousin, the leopard.
Photographs of the dead jungle cat lying stretched across a road near Wilpattu were published on social media by a saddened local motorist, Saranga Dissanayake who said he had also seen a fishing cat killed on the same stretch a few months ago.
Sri Lanka is home to four species of wildcat: leopard (Panthera pardus – kotiya diviya), fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus – handun diviya), jungle cat (Felis chaus – wal balala) and rusty-spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus – Kola diviya).
The killing of a leopard last August on a road in Yala sparked much attention but other wildcats sharing the same plight mostly go unnoticed.
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species the jungle cat is “near threatened” while the other three species are “endangered” indicating the need of urgent action for their conservation. Other than road accidents, Sri Lankan wildcats face death through wire traps, poisoning and habitat destruction.
Sadly, insufficient research exists to identify the level of these threats, the ecology of the individual species and species distribution, factors that are the basis of any conservation action.
The first Symposium of Wild Cats of South Asia, past and present, organised by the Sri Lanka Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) with support from the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the IUCN last November provided a forum for Sri Lankan and foreign researchers to forge links and identify directions for wildcat research.
The researchers agreed knowledge was lacking on small cats compared to leopards, especially rusty-spotted cats and jungle cats.
WNPS President Professor Lakdas Fernando said a wildcat working group has now been established. “Understanding conservation priorities will be the first step toward saving these species. Hopefully we can meet in two years for another symposium where we can take solid conservation action for Sri Lanka’s wildcats,” Professor Fernando said.
The November symposium was a good platform for many young researchers such as Anya Ratnayake who study wildcats. Ms Ratnayake, who spearheads a fishing cat study project by the Environmental Foundation Limited, said she had found fishing cats living in areas adjacent to dense human habitation to be active at day and night. Researchers tracked individual fishing cats fitted with GPS collars.
“Based on the distribution and movement patterns of fishing cats in urban habitats we proposed the creation of urban bioparks for biodiversity conservation and green areas for urban wildlife,” the young researcher said, adding that integration of these zones was more important than ever with the proposed megapolis development plans across the Western Province.
Ashan Thudugala, a young researcher following fishing cats in the hill country, spoke out on threats posed by speeding motorists to these cats, as well as poaching and poisoning.
It is heartening to see that young researchers are going beyond paperwork to protect wildcat populations. Ashan Thudugala, for example, conducts awareness programs and youth camps for schoolchildren and local villagers in areas where wildcat mortality is high. Fishing cat roadsigns have been placed at danger spots on roads.
A leading authority, Dr. Jim Sanderson of the Small Wildcat Conservation Foundation, specially praised the work of the young researchers of Sri Lanka in studying smaller wildcats.
The conservation of leopards is still a key focus. In recently released symposium papers, researchers Andrew Kittle and Anjali Watson explain that the change of land use patterns in many areas poses a threat to Sri Lanka’s apex predator.
Dr. Andrew Kittle particularly highlighted the threats faced by hill country leopards. “Ongoing distribution mapping indicates that leopards occupy small, isolated forest patches with little or no protection. Many of these occur in Sri Lanka’s central highlands where a high human population density, heavily-fragmented landscape mosaic and lack of large, contiguous protected areas means leopards here are potentially highly vulnerable,” he states.
Ceylon Chamber supports Sustainable Energy Authority to promote ‘Biomass Energy Production and Modern Bio Technologies’-7 Feb 2016 Sunday Times
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the country’s premier business chamber will conduct a seminar on Sustainable Biomass Energy Production and Modern Bio Technologies in a bid to help the government’s drive towards increasing the production of biomass based energy sources in the Island,a media release issued by the CCC said.
The seminar, which will be held during the second week of February, 2016 at the Auditorium of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, will focus on educating the stakeholders on an ongoing GEF (Global Environment Facility) Funded project which is being implemented by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, with the support of the FAO and UNDP.
The project aims to promote ‘Sustainable Biomass Energy Production and Modern Bio-Energy Technologies’ with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuel for thermal energy generation in Sri Lanka’s industrial sector.
The ongoing GEF funded project, authorities expect will help remove barriers to the realization of sustainable biomass plantation, increase the market share of biomass energy generation mix and adoption of improved biomass-based energy technologies in Sri Lanka.
It focuses on four key areas such as, ‘Policy-institutional support for effective implementation’; ‘Barrier removal for sustainable fuel wood production,’ ‘Enabling environment for fuel wood suppliers’; and also ‘Wood-based energy technology development’.
Lanka observing World Wetlands Day today- Sunday Times, 2 February 2016
Sri Lanka has planned national and regional events to mark World Wetlands Day, which falls on February 2nd. The Daily Star reported that the date marks the 1971 adoption of the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty that helps protect wetlands, reached in Ramsar, Iran.
In Sri Lanka, the national ceremony to mark the World Wetlands Day will be held at the premises of Mangrove Conservation Project of the Sudeesa (formerly known as Small Fishers Federation of Lanka) at Chilaw today.
President Maithripala Sirisena will grace the occasion as the chief guest. The theme for this year is ‘Let’s protect wetlands for the future for a sustainable living’.
Regionally, European Union funded Solid Waste Management for Batticaloa Programme implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will conduct a clean-up campaign today. Awareness on the wetland cleanliness will be provided to those who pass by the Batticaloa lagoon.(ANI)
Today; the World Wetlands Day
Today we celebrate WWD 2016. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea.Theme for 2016 is ‘Wetlands for the Future: Sustainable Livelihoods’.
WWD16 Hand-outs_desktop_print_eng
EXCELLENCE IN BEST CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP RECOGNISED ONCE AGAIN
EXCELLENCE IN BEST CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP RECOGNISED ONCE AGAIN
It has been a great honour to be recognized as one of the Top Ten Best Corporate Citizens in Sri Lanka at the BEST CORPORATE CETIZEN SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 2015 conducted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce for the second year consecutively out of a total of three year winning spree.
People’s Leasing & Finance PLC (PLC) has grown from strength to strength while enabling countless entrepreneurs to venture out and thrive. PLC supports national and regional development through lending mainly for income generation and created employment. Microfinance subsidiary of PLC supports empowering female entrepreneurs through inclusive finance. In a highly competitive industry, PLC retained its position as market leader in leasing for the 13th consecutive year and the largest non-bank financial institution in Sri Lanka. Despite a highly liquid market, PLC achieved a milestone sales volume exceeding Rs. 7 Bn. mark; a record not only in the PLC history but also in Sri Lankan non-bank financial sector.
PLC considers its staff as the most valued asset. PLC’s continuing commitment to customer care earned PLC the People’s Choice Award at the SLIM People’s Awards 2015 for the third consecutive year. An independent customer satisfaction survey revealed a world class eQ score of 85 for SME customer segment of PLC. With a renewed focus on supporting local communities through cross sector partnerships, PLC invested Rs. 72 Mn. on 127 community initiatives during 2014/15. Guided by “We Care”; framework, PLC impacted lives of more than 200,000 Sri Lankans by improving education, healthcare, infrastructure, providing essentials during disasters. PLC marked an important milestone for PLC as it embarked on its journey towards carbon neutrality, for the first time measuring the carbon footprint of entire PLC Group. PLC continued efforts to popularize a green culture at PLC introducing initiatives to put the environmental consciousness of employees to practice.
PLC was ranked at 17th among the Top 25 listed companies in Sri Lanka- 2014/15 chosen by the Business Today magazine. PLC received a Gold Award at the SLITAD People Development Awards 2015 organized by the Sri Lanka Institute of Training & Development. The company also bagged the sector Gold award for the 8th consecutive year and the Silver award for Overall Management Commentary at the Best Annual Report Competition hosted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.
During our 19 year journey in a dynamic business environment, PLC remained steadfast in its commitment to its stakeholders. We salute our stakeholders who have been an integral part of our corporate journey. It is you who raised us to the pinnacle of success and we are grateful for the trust and confidence you have placed in us. We pledge to continue our sustainable corporate journey towards a greater value creation for all stakeholders in the years to come.
Photo Caption
Photo 1 : Community based E-Waste collection camp hosted by Grandpass branch of PLC
Photo 2 : Entrepreneurship development initiative for the SME customers of PLC hosted by Kelaniya branch of PLC
Photo 3 : A group of PLC employees volunteering in registration of vehicle customers of PLC prior to an awareness programme on road discipline
Photo 4: Mr. D.P Kumarage, CEO/GM of PLC receiving the Top Ten Best Corporate Citizens award at the Best Corporate Citizen Award 2015.
