Roadmap to create green socio-economy presented to President

The ministers have presented a roadmap aimed at transforming Sri Lanka’s economy into a green socio-economy with sustainable solutions to climate change, to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Relevant plans were tabled at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (May 24) with the representatives of the Presidential Task Force on Creating a Green Sri Lanka with Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change.

The President had instructed the relevant ministers to prepare targeted plans to overcome the challenges in the domains of use of fertilizers, land, biodiversity, waste management, industries, renewable energy, urban and environmental education. Accordingly, the Ministries have prepared future plans following a comprehensive study, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

In particular, special attention has been drawn to expedite the process of increasing forest density while identifying eco-sensitive zones as well as to accelerate afforestation in identified lands.

The roadmap highlights the potential use of lands abandoned by chena farmers, chenas in protected forests, and lands with invasive vegetation for this purpose.

The government aims to increase the forest cover in Sri Lanka to 30% by 2025, the PMD stated further, noting that it is also mentioned in the “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” policy statement.

The President has pointed out the importance of giving priority to crops that are suitable for human consumption as well as edible to animals, such as jackfruit, breadfruit and fruits when increasing the forest cover and forest density in the country.

The government aims to meet 80% of the country’s energy needs by renewable energy sources by 2030. It was revealed that for the first time in history, wind power plants were able to generate more power than diesel power plants, the PMD added.

The need to take immediate actions to further reduce the use of plastics was also discussed.

The President pointed out the importance of implementing programmes based on environment and biodiversity in the fields of school education and extracurricular activities.

The attention has also drawn on the importance of banning disposable plastics and polythene, and implementing programmes to encourage entrepreneurs to introduce alternatives.

The President also directed the officials to implement tree-planting projects when launching projects of the Urban Development and Road Development Authorities while paying special focus on environmental beautification.

The government has taken steps to increase the production of organic fertilizer, the PMD pointed out. At present, plans are underway to meet 30% of the organic fertilizer requirement from local farmers.

It was mentioned at this meeting that farmers in 10 Mahaweli zones are already focusing on the production of organic fertilizer. Discussions were held on expeditious implementation of programmes to encourage farmers to produce the remaining organic fertilizer amount locally.

Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, C.B. Ratnayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Udaya Gammanpila, Dullas Alahapperuma, Ramesh Pathirana, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary to the President P. B. Jayasundera and other ministerial secretaries and officials have attended the said discussion.