What water planners need to know about decision making under climate change
Today, with the earth warming faster than previously thought, large changes in temperature and precipitation have brought about even more uncertainty concerning the future of our water resources. The primary challenge of achieving water security is our ability to make decisions in the present that sufficiently account for the needs of the future. This becomes particularly important in water projects that involve investments in long-lived infrastructure, which must deliver benefits for many generations to come. 
Resilient infrastructure will enable countries to respond to floods and droughts, sea level rise, and unpredictable river runoff, and to bring clean and safe water to those currently without access. But how do we ensure that our investments are resilient to climate risks? How do we make climate-smart policy choices against a backdrop of uncertainty?
The Decision Tree Framework described inConfronting Climate Uncertainty in Water Resources Planning and Project Design provides resource-limited project planners and program managers with a cost-effective and effort-efficient, scientifically defensible, repeatable, and clear method for demonstrating the robustness of a project to climate change.
The framework adopts a “bottom-up” approach to risk assessment that aims at a thorough understanding of a project’s vulnerabilities to climate change in the context of other nonclimate uncertainties (for example, economic, environmental, demographic, or political). It helps to identify projects that perform well across a wide range of potential future climate conditions, as opposed to seeking solutions that are optimal in expected conditions but fragile to conditions deviating from the expected.
SLBBP Engages in Enhancing the Aesthetic Environment Around Ceylon Tea Trails Bungalows, Dik-Oya
The Castlereigh reservoir is considered a high-value resource by Ceylon Tea Trails, the World’s First Bungalow Resort, promoting responsible nature-based and adventure tourism in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. The reservoir was created as Sri Lanka’s first mini-hydro power generation project, by damming the KehelgamuOya – a major tributary of the Kelani River. Located in the Central Province, the reservoir also gets fed by the DikOya, a minor tributary.
In an attempt to increase the potential of the reservoir for water sports and in general consideration of uplifting of the environment surrounding the Ceylon Tea Trails Bungalows located overlooking the reservoir, a field visit to the bungalows, reservoir and its feeding canals and streams was carried out recently based on the agreement signed between Dilmah Conservation and the Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform. Secretariat staff and experts visited the Dick Oya area of the Castlereigh reservoir and made observations on the surroundings of the Castlereigh reservoir and its feeding canals.Discussions were had with officials of Ceylon Tea Trails the Central Environmental Authority, the Ceylon Electricity Board, Department of Aquaculture,NuwaraEliya the Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat and the local Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, in order to obtain their inputs on the issue at hand.
Impacting negatively on the aesthetic beauty of the area is accumulated solid waste in the Castlereigh reservoir due to unregulated and haphazard waste disposal and dumping in the area.Under the guidance of Solid Waste Management expert, Dr Sumith Pilapitiya, the Platform will facilitate a sustainable solid waste management programme with the participation of all stakeholders.
Systematic assessments, water quality analysis and awareness creation will constitute the programme, the first phase of which will last for one year.
How climate change and natural capital are changing banking
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-climate-change-and-natural-capital-are-changing-banking
The climate in financial institutions is changing. With a keen eye on market forces and a core business focused on supporting economic growth, leaders in financial institutions are launching low-carbon initiatives and investing in green infrastructure.
How climate change and natural capital are changing banking _ GreenBiz
“Democratic conservation of biodiversity is must”
Radheshyam Jadhav, TNN | Aug 17, 2015, 05.38 PM IST
Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) under the ministry of environment carry out surveys and documentation of biological resources including threatened and important species of India.
Democratic conservation of biodiversity is must – The Times of India
Holcim Lanka engages local stakeholders towards promoting sustainable environmental practices
Demonstrating leadership and commitment towards improving sustainable environmental practices, Holcim (Lanka) Ltd recently organized a high-level interactive session on global environment management trends and Sri Lankan learning.
A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies & Drag onflies of Sri Lanka By Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne’s “A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies &Dragon flies of Sri Lanka” is a useful guide to whom it may concern with Biological Diversity in Sri Lanka. Increasingly the segmentation between birders, butterfly watchers, dragonfly watchers and photographers is reducing as interests overlap and there is a demand for books that cover the three popular groups of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. Having written and photographed the guide to the birds of Sri Lanka in the series, Wijeyeratne has produced a single, compact and portable photographic guide to the butterflies and dragonflies of the country. The emphasis in the 280 species featured is on the commoner species, covering around 90 percent of the species that a visitor is likely to see. It is also an excellent book for residents to learn about the commoner butterflies and dragonflies before progressing to more advanced technical books.
The guide is focused on field use to help beginners and experts identify species and provides information on their distribution and habitats. As identification of butterflies and dragonflies require a different approach, the two sections are done as two mini photographic field guides with common introductory sections to wildlife watching in Sri Lanka. The book includes information on the key wildlife sites, general introductions to the biology of dragonflies and butterflies, up-to-date checklists with local status and useful references for people who wish to progress further with their study of these charismatic and photogenic animals.
Corporate funding for Wilpattu sloth bear research
The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform (SL B&B) has facilitated continued research on the Sri Lankan sloth bear…..
Read more on ,
http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=business/corporate-funding-wilpattu-sloth-bear-research#sthash.B95QI2Ty.dpuf
Half Dozen new spider species uncovered in Kerala including one from black widow family
http://www.mobiletor.com/six-new-spider-species-by-members-of-biodiversity-research-center-one-from-black-widow-family-discovered-in-kerala/
