MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS MEAs: SRI LANKA EXPERIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

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MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS (MEAs)
SRI LANKA EXPERIENCEENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
GLOBAL AFFAIRS DIVISIONMINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCESGovernment of Sri Lanka
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36 MEAs ratified by Sri Lanka

• Biodiversity related MEAs
• - Ramsar convention
• - CBD
• - CITES
• - CMS
• - World Heritage Convention
• - International Coral Reef Initiatives
• - Cartagena Protocol of the CBD

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MEAs ratified by Sri Lanka cont..

• Atmosphere related MEAs
• Vienna convention
• Montreal Protocol
• UNFCC
• Kyoto Protocol

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MEAs ratified by Sri Lanka cont..

• Land related MEAs
• Mainly UNCCD

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MEAs ratified by Sri Lanka cont..

• Chemicals related MEAs
• Basel convention
• Roterdam convention
• Stockholm convention - POP

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Issues related to MEAs

• No accepted ratification procedure
• Focal points are not clear or not known
• Lack of coordination between focal points
• Domestic legislations have not been passed to
  implement MEAs
• Lack of awareness on MEAs at all levels
• Resource allocation for MEAs is not adequate

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Issues related to MEAs cont

• Implementation projects are donor driven
• No systematic participation at MEAs negotiation
• Weak preparation for negotiations
• Capacity issues in negotiation
• Lack of access to documents and reference
  materials
• No comprehensive enforcement approach

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Policies

• National Environment Policy
• Rural Renewable Energy policy
• National CDM policy
• National Forestry policy
• National Policy on wild Life Conservation
• Draft National Land Use policy
• National Policy on Urban Air Quality Management

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Strategies/Plans

• Biodiversity Conservation in Sri Lanka A
  Framework for Action 1999
• Coastal 2000 Action Plan
• Clean Air 2000 Action Plan
• Forestry Sector Master Plan 1995
• Five Year development Plan of the Department of
  Wild Life 1993-1998
• National Strategy for Solid Waste Management
• Guidelines on safety measures in handling
  hazardous waste

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Strategies/Plans Cont

• Guidelines for the establishment of hazardous
  waste disposal sites
• Code of ethics for Biodiversity research
• National Biosafety Guidelines (draft stage)
• Invasive Plants Action Plan (draft stage)
• National Agriculture, Food and Nutrition strategy
  
• National Conservation Strategy
• First National Communication on Climate Change
• National Climate Change Action Plan
• National Action Plan for the Protection of Marine
  Environment from Land Based Activities
• National Strategy for Clean Development Mechanism
  (under preparation)

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Institutional Measures

• Establishment of National Co-ordinating
  Committees and National Expert Committees
• National Co-ordinating Committee for the
  implementation of MEAs
• Climate Change Co-ordination Committee
• National Expert Committee on Biodiversity
• CDM expert Committee
• Expert Committee on Land Degradation and
  Desertification
• National Co-ordination Committee on
  Implementation of Montreal Protocol
• Coordination Committee on Basal Convention
• GEF Steering Committee
• GEF Advisory Committee

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Institutional Measures Cont

• Eight Committees on Environment Policy Management
  (CEPOMs) -land, water, biodiversity, coastal
  marine, industry, built environment, energy
  environmental health
• Committee on integrating Environment and
  Development Policy (CIEDP)

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Institutional Measures Cont

• Establishment of a Biodiversity Secretariat
• Establishment of Climate Change Secretariat
• Establishment of National Designated Authority
  for CDM
• Establishment of Montreal Protocol Unit
• Establishment of GEF network
• Coordination for synergistic approach for CBD,
  UNFCC and UNCCD

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Institutional Measures Cont

• Establishment of a separate unit named Global
  Affairs Division, attached to the Ministry of
  Environment and Natural Resources
• Establishment of the Convention Reference
  Centre at the Ministry of Environment and
  Natural Resources

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Institutional measures cont

• Air Resources Management Centre (AirMAC)
• Cleaner production Centre
• Energy Conservation Fund
• Two CDM study centres
• Climate Change Study Centre
• Plant Genetic Resource Centre

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Legislative measures Cont

• Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Act (Revisions in
  1996 ) -setting up of fishery management
  committees
• Revision to the Irrigation Ordinance in 1988-
  mandated farmer organisations
• Coast Conservation Act (1988)
• Mine and Minerals Act (1992)

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Foreign funded projects

• Capacity Building on removal of Barriers for
  Renewable Energy/ SL Renewable Energy and Energy
  efficiency Capacity Building Project-GEF
• Conservation of Rainforest in Southern Sri Lanka-
  GEF
• Conservation of Rekawa, Ussangoda, Kalametiya
  Coastal Ecosystems- GEF
• Conservation of Medicinal Plants-GEF Energy
  Services Delivery Project- GEF
• Environment Action 1 Project-WB funded
• Urban air quality management project - WB funded

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Foreign funded projects Cont

• Renewable energy for rural economic
  development-WB
• Protected area management and Wild Life
  Conservation Project-ADB and GEF
• Upper watershed management project-ADB
• Forest resources management project-ADB
• Climate Change Enabling Activity project- GEF
• South west rain forest conservation project-GEF
• Protection of marine environment from land base
  activities and implementation of Stockholm
  convention on POPs GEF
• Clean Air Initiative Project-USAID
• Air Quality Management Project-WB

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Capacity building needs

• Develop domestic legislations to implement MEAs
• Sstrategic and Sectoral Environment Assessment
• Internalise the benefits and costs of
  environmental resources in decision-making
  process
• Internalisese environmental concerns in sectoral
  plans and strategies
• Sustainable Development Policies to be built into
  sectoral legislations
• Greater empowerment of civil society, industrial
  sector, NGOs and CBOs for Environment Management.
• Making access to basic and middle level
  technologies and Information Technology

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Capacity building needs cont..

• Protect biodiversity in the country through
  developing relevant national legislations such as
  access to benefit sharing
• Explore the possible benefits from the
  ecological debt concept
• Strengthen the Convention Reference Centre
  established at the Ministry of Environment and
  Natural resources
• Finalisation of National Land use policy and
  formulate appropriate strategies and legislation
• Use of an effective Integrated Coastal Zone
  Management Framework
• Establishment of Organic Product Promotion and
  Development Centre (OPPDC ) to promote organic
  agriculture

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Capacity building needs cont..

• Develop Sri Lankan organic agricultural products
  standards, eco-labelling, organic certification
  system.
• Establish a link with international organic
  product associations to help local investors and
  exporters
• Engage in a fair trade mechanism to promote a
  socially just production system
• Unified attempt both by local authorities and the
  central government should be taken as a national
  priority to manage the solid waste problem in the
  country.
• Strengthen Air Resources Management Centre
  (AirMAC) giving more legal power

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Functions of CRC

• Develop criteria for selecting project proposals
  for external financing.
• Preparation of Calender of important global
  events relevant to international
  Conventions/Protocols/ Agreements and convey to
  the relevant focal points for effective
  participation.

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Functions of Con..

• Update web site of MEAs.
• Awareness and Stakeholder Consultation
  Programmes
• Stakeholder workshops
• School Programmes
• Public Awareness programmes
• Exhibition
• CRC Newsletter
• Leaflets

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Success stories for the implementation of MEAs

• Montreal Protocol Unit achieved its target and
  Phase out use of CFCs by 2005 five years in
  advance Example for commitment
• Air Resources Management Centre (AirMAC) Best
  practices for partnership
• Shared control of Natural Resources (SCOR)
  project Example for community and stakeholder
  participation
• Cleaner production Centre Best practices for
  technology transfer
• Energy Conservation Fund

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Success stories for the implementation of MEAs
cont..

• Muthurajawela wetLand conservation project
• Promotion of Organic Agriculture
• Installation of solar PV system
• Introduction of fuel efficient stoves for cooking
  
• Installation of biogas generators to dispose
  municipal waste and generate electricity

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