The Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) will host a high level policy panel titled “Facing the Future: Environmental Disasters and Poverty in Sri Lanka” on January 26, from 3.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m., at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala.
The discussion follows the severe impacts of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused widespread flooding, landslides, and damage to livelihoods and infrastructure. The disaster struck as Sri Lanka continues to recover from the 2022 economic crisis, which significantly increased poverty and vulnerability, underscoring the growing macroeconomic and social risks posed by climate-related shocks, CEPA said in a media release.
The panel will examine how climate change, biodiversity loss, weak land-use planning, and socio-economic vulnerabilities are compounding disaster risks, with rising fiscal, infrastructure, and livelihood costs. With climate related disasters increasing in both frequency and intensity, Sri Lanka faces escalating exposure that could undermine growth, strain public finances, and reverse development gains unless stronger adaptation and resilience strategies are implemented.
The discussion will focus on policy and institutional reforms needed to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate resilience into development planning, while identifying actionable recommendations for land use governance, environmental management, and poverty reduction. The session also aims to inform future research and policy dialogue on aligning sustainability with economic recovery and long term growth.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, and Krishan Balendra, Chairman of John Keells Holdings PLC and a member of the Management Committee of the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
Confirmed panellists include D. Gunatileke Herath, Senior Advisor and former Executive Director of CEPA; Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, Executive Director of CEPA; Prof. Jagath Munasinghe, Department of Town and Country Planning, University of Moratuwa; and Ms. Kusala Mahalekama, Director Strategic Environmental Assessment, Central Environmental Authority. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja, Senior Advisor at CEPA and Visiting Fellow at ODI, UK.
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