13th Annual Sessions and Pre- Annual Session Webinar Series of The Institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka (Iepsl)
View(s):The institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka (IEPSL) is the umbrella organization of environmental professionals in the country. It was established in 2006 through a Cabinet Paper and legalized through an Act of Parliament No. 01/2020 in February 2020, as a corporate body. The institute is committed to extending professionalism and to provide much needed service for the benefit of society. The activities of IEPSL has become broader and more diversified with time, and at present the Institute has a membership of nearly 755 environmental professionals including 79 Chartered Environmental Professionals, 528 Members, 130 Associate members and 18 Student members, covering many different disciplines, serving in all parts of Sri Lanka.
The 13th Annual Sessions of the Institute is planned to be held virtually, commencing with five webinars held over the four weeks leading up to it, and followed by the Annual General Meeting. The theme for the sessions is “The Importance of Safeguarding the Environment in National Development”. The webinars on the above theme will discuss four important areas: Coastal and Marine Ecology, Climate Change, Waste Management, and Impact Assessment. Both nationally and internationally eminent personnel will share their vision and thoughts on these focus areas. The schedule for the programme is as follows:
The virtual Annual sessions and AGM is scheduled to be held on 26th January 2021 and the webinars from 6 to 7.30 p.m. on 5th, 12th, 16th, 19th and 23rd January 2021. The 1st webinar of the series on the topic “Sustainable Development by Managing the Coastal & Marine Resources Effectively” was held successfully, with the participation of Prof. Roshanka Ranasinghe, University of Twente Harbour discussing the Climate change impacts and interpretation of research findings for the sustainable management of the coastal zone, and Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara, General Manager, Marine Environment Protection Authority discussing the regulatory aspects of sustainable coastal zone management. The webinar was moderated by Mrs. Shiranee Yasarathne, and was attended by nearly 200 participants from many parts of the world.
The 2nd webinar will be held on 12th January 2021 on the topics “Information Management in Support of Operational Tasks in Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction” & “Eco System or Nature Based approaches to Eco Disaster Risk Reduction (EcoDRR)”, with the participation of two foreign resource persons – Mr. Horst Kremers, CODATA-Germany, Engineering Management and Information Sciences, Berlin (Germany) and Dr Madav Karki, Deputy Chair of IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, and will be moderated by Senior Professor Hemanthi Ranasinghe.
The 3rd webinar will be held on 16th January 2021 on the topic “Challenges of Waste Management during COVID-19 Pandemic” with three resource persons: Associate Professor Sunil Herat (Waste Management and Circular Economy), School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, New Zealand; Dr. Anuruddha Karunarathnna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Agriculture Engineering, University of Peradeniya and Mr. Yasantha Gunarathne, Director, Sisili Hanaro Encare and will be moderated by Prof. Meththika Vithanage.
The 4th webinar will be held on “Compliance & Enforcement of Impact Assessment; requirements commitments and related approval Conditions” on 19th January 2021 with the resource persons Mrs. Kanthi De Silva, former Director/EIA, CEA & Mr. Hemantha Withanage, Executive Director, Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), and will be moderated by Mrs. Ramani Ellepola, Vice President, IEPSL.
The 5th and the final webinar of the series will be held on 23rd January 2021 on Waste Management, with Eng. J M U Indraratne, DDG (Waste Management) CEA, Mr. Sanjeewa Chulakumara, Director /INSEE Eco cycle Lanka (Pvt)Ltd. & Mr. Nalin Mannapperuma, Director, Western Provincial Waste Management Authority as the resource persons and will be moderated by Mr. Randeewa Malalasooriya.