• Legal framework to cover agri. during fluctuating weather patterns, regulations to curb global warming activities 

The Government stated that it is currently strengthening the programme of developing climate-related laws, a process which has been ongoing for some time.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody said that the legislative framework is being expanded to address multiple aspects of climate change. 

“These include measures to manage changes in agriculture due to shifting weather patterns, strategies to mitigate other related challenges, and regulations to curb activities that contribute to global warming,” he said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa recently stressed the urgent need for new climate-related laws to protect Sri Lanka from the severe consequences of global warming. Speaking during a special session of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Climate Change, he warned that Sri Lanka’s paddy yield is projected to fall by between 12% and 41% by 2060. 

He added that losses to infrastructure caused by climate-related disasters are expected to cost around Rs. 3,800 million, while the country could lose 3.68% of its gross domestic product annually until 2050 as a result of climate disasters.

Sri Lanka, like many other countries, faces mounting risks due to rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting rainfall patterns. Climate change has become one of the most serious challenges worldwide, threatening food security, infrastructure, economies, and livelihoods.