Sri Lanka

The coastline of Sri Lanka is approximately 1,600 km long and hosts a number of interrelated coastal ecosystems, including bays, beaches, dunes, estuaries, lagoons and tidal flats. Found within in these are a range of habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs. These coastal areas support a range of nationally important economic activities including tourism, fisheries and port developments.

Sri Lanka has a strong foundation in and capacity for coastal management. It has a coastal zone management programme that has been in operation for three decades, three cabinet approved Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs), a dedicated line agency, the Coast Conservation Department and a large contingent of well trained technical experts and coastal managers.

Climate change-impacts and adaptation
Sri Lanka’s coasts will be exposed to the same increase in risks due to climate change and sea-level rise many other countries will experience, for example: coastal erosion, coral bleaching, increased risk of flooding and problems with freshwater supply. The Sri Lanka National Strategy Action Plan (NSAP) recognises that planning in coastal areas needs to consider these projections particularly since the changes will occur gradually. The Stern Report on Climate Change (2006) in the analysis of the economic implications of global change recommends that adaptation measures need to be included in planning now in order to avoid unbearable cost burdens in the face of a crisis entrained by postponement of action.

The MFF Sri Lanka NSAP provides an opportunity to begin addressing adaptation to global warming and climate change considerations have been carefully mainstreamed where relevant throughout the specific priority activities developed for Sri Lanka. The NSAP also reflects climate change priorities in its 14 Policies, which represent the principles by which the implementation of the NSAP should abide.

MFF’s programme of work in Sri Lanka
MFF’s programme of work in Sri Lanka is overseen by a National Coordination Body (NCB) Sri Lanka), which is composed representatives from a range of governmental departments, NGOs, inter-governmental organisations and academic institutions. A National Strategy and Action Plan (NSAP) and its associated workplan, guides the work of the NCB.

Geographic focus and Strategy
The NSAP prioritises activities that may be relevant only in specific areas of the country. For example, Special Area Management (SAM) sites that have been deemed nationally significant by the
Government. Additionally, post-conflict areas, e.g., the eastern and northern coastal areas are considered to be critical areas requiring attention through the MFF. All efforts will be made to work in these areas, however, implementation may be problematic and slower in these areas. 

Sri Lanka’s NSAP has been developed specifically to integrate successive national Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMPs) developed by the government’s Coastal Conservation Department as well as to strengthen the application of the ecosystem approach in the work of the CZMP. MFF’s country strategy for Sri Lanka is dictated in the NSAP’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) which represents a framework of priority activities that will be supported through MFF in Sri Lanka under all the 15 Programmes of Work (PoWs) stipulated under the overall MFF Action Plan.

Alignment to ongoing in-country initiatives and priorities
The NSAP has been developed to complement and align itself to more general ongoing initiatives, plans and policies (e.g. ecosystem-based planning and management for wetlands, including coastal wetland systems, by the Central Environmental Authority of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources). The Sri Lanka NSAP is strongly aligned with the National Coastal Zone Plan and aims to influence the next revision of this plan through advocating an integrated ecosystem approach. Steps to support this revision have already been initiated.

Alignment to ongoing in-country initiatives and priorities The NSAP has been developed to complement and align itself to more general ongoing initiatives, plans and policies (e.g. ecosystem-based planning and management for wetlands, including coastal wetland systems, by the Central Environmental Authority of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources). The Sri Lanka NSAP is strongly aligned with the National Coastal Zone Plan and aims to influence the next revision of this plan through advocating an integrated ecosystem approach. Steps to support this revision have already been initiated.

MFF Sri Lanka’s priorities include:

• Training on social mobilisation and applying the ecosystem approach and vulnerability mapping to coastal areas;
• Improving communication, awareness and education;
• Developing standard valuation tools that can be applied in the Sri Lankan context;
• Supporting the development of Sustainable Funding Mechanisms in context of proposed environmental levy;
• Carrying out an MCPA system review;
• Priority actions on improving governance (e.g., activities regarding the role of media and civil society);
• Developing links with disaster management agencies.

Small Grant Facility (SGFs) projects