Investing in Nature to Address the Climate Crisis

As a developing tropical island nation, Sri Lanka is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Sea level rise, erosion, and storms affect the coastal zone while agricultural areas are threatened by erratic rainfall, droughts, floods, and soil degradation. Across the country and across key economic sectors, climate change already impacts livelihoods, lives, and human wellbeing, and is projected to become more severe in the coming decades.

Sri Lanka is also blessed with a rich biodiversity and a multitude of productive ecosystems. From cloud forests to grasslands, and from lowland rainforests, lakes, and coastal ecosystems such as salt marshes, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, the island is home to a significant range of habitats and associated species of animals and plants, many of which are endemic.

Particularly in light of the new Global Biodiversity Framework and the intergovernmental climate negotiations, how can Sri Lanka’s natural wealth help the country to address challenges such as climate change while also facilitating economic recovery and sustainable development?

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