More than lack of resources, expert knowledge, or time, it was the rulers' lackadaisicalness and disregard that prevented Sri Lanka from achieving great things. Waiting until things get worse, and sometimes until things get out of hand, is an inherent characteristic of most Sri Lankan authorities and rulers, and even after that, there is no guarantee that the public can expect serious action.
The 51st Earth Day – an international day celebrated to express support for environmental protection and raise awareness on climate crisis, among others – fell on last Thursday (22), and this year’s theme was “Restore Our Earth”. Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1979. In 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution.
Sri Lanka, even though rich in natural resources compared to other countries in the region, is facing a severe and drastic degradation of environmental resources. Sri Lanka does have several ministers and public institutions tasked with protecting the country’s flora and fauna, and their promises about protecting the environment and boasts about their untiring efforts to thwart acts causing destruction of the environment, have proven to be a damp squib a long time ago, as they delivered more words than actions. While it is not at all new to Sri Lankans, the country is at a crossroads where it has to take some strict decisions in order to avert a climate crisis on top of the Covid-19 pandemic, as every day, the state of environmental destruction further worsens, and calls for immediate action go unheard.
Environmental degradation is not a new issue, but it is an ever-exacerbating issue. Action on the part of perpetrators as well as inaction on the part of those responsible for stopping the perpetrators, are reasons that equally make the situation worse in Sri Lanka, and the unavailability of a proper mechanism, i.e. national policies that do not change every time a new government comes to power, every couple of years, has been repeatedly emphasised. It happens when the political and personal interests receive more attention than interests of the public and the country, which, without a proper intervention, is difficult to mitigate, because at the end of the day, it is the politicians who make the laws. To a certain extent, that is also why the Government of Sri Lanka keeps changing and challenging development plans approved by the previous Government – when there is no national policy, public representatives do as they please.
Sri Lanka is an island, and climate change affects Sri Lanka in many ways, the most prominent two ways being the increasing water levels due to glacier melting and finite natural resources that are getting less every day.
The worst issue is, high temperature, air pollution, and declining drinkable water are merely the tip of the iceberg. But they are also signs of what is to become of a nation that does not respect its natural resources. Needless to say that if left unaddressed, the damage environmental destruction can lead to is unfathomable, and takes a multitude of forms. Even though both the public and rulers tend to think that minor damage to the environment remains a minor damage, it can develop to be part of or cause a major natural calamity including climate crisis, after which there will only be regret over failure to do what needed to be done.
Perhaps it is high time that we understand that climate crisis, even though often overlooked due to the fact that it poses more long-term threats than immediate effects, poses a greater threat than the Covid-19 virus, as it affects not only human lives, but also the very existence of all flora and fauna.
Being silent until a natural disaster happens as a result of climate change is not just ignorance; it is tantamount to being part of the crime.
Protecting Mother Earth
26 Apr 2021
Protecting Mother Earth
26 Apr 2021
More than lack of resources, expert knowledge, or time, it was the rulers' lackadaisicalness and disregard that prevented Sri Lanka from achieving great things. Waiting until things get worse, and sometimes until things get out of hand, is an inherent characteristic of most Sri Lankan authorities and rulers, and even after that, there is no guarantee that the public can expect serious action.
The 51st Earth Day – an international day celebrated to express support for environmental protection and raise awareness on climate crisis, among others – fell on last Thursday (22), and this year’s theme was “Restore Our Earth”. Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1979. In 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly designated 22 April as International Mother Earth Day through a resolution.
Sri Lanka, even though rich in natural resources compared to other countries in the region, is facing a severe and drastic degradation of environmental resources. Sri Lanka does have several ministers and public institutions tasked with protecting the country’s flora and fauna, and their promises about protecting the environment and boasts about their untiring efforts to thwart acts causing destruction of the environment, have proven to be a damp squib a long time ago, as they delivered more words than actions. While it is not at all new to Sri Lankans, the country is at a crossroads where it has to take some strict decisions in order to avert a climate crisis on top of the Covid-19 pandemic, as every day, the state of environmental destruction further worsens, and calls for immediate action go unheard.
Environmental degradation is not a new issue, but it is an ever-exacerbating issue. Action on the part of perpetrators as well as inaction on the part of those responsible for stopping the perpetrators, are reasons that equally make the situation worse in Sri Lanka, and the unavailability of a proper mechanism, i.e. national policies that do not change every time a new government comes to power, every couple of years, has been repeatedly emphasised. It happens when the political and personal interests receive more attention than interests of the public and the country, which, without a proper intervention, is difficult to mitigate, because at the end of the day, it is the politicians who make the laws. To a certain extent, that is also why the Government of Sri Lanka keeps changing and challenging development plans approved by the previous Government – when there is no national policy, public representatives do as they please.
Sri Lanka is an island, and climate change affects Sri Lanka in many ways, the most prominent two ways being the increasing water levels due to glacier melting and finite natural resources that are getting less every day.
The worst issue is, high temperature, air pollution, and declining drinkable water are merely the tip of the iceberg. But they are also signs of what is to become of a nation that does not respect its natural resources. Needless to say that if left unaddressed, the damage environmental destruction can lead to is unfathomable, and takes a multitude of forms. Even though both the public and rulers tend to think that minor damage to the environment remains a minor damage, it can develop to be part of or cause a major natural calamity including climate crisis, after which there will only be regret over failure to do what needed to be done.
Perhaps it is high time that we understand that climate crisis, even though often overlooked due to the fact that it poses more long-term threats than immediate effects, poses a greater threat than the Covid-19 virus, as it affects not only human lives, but also the very existence of all flora and fauna.
Being silent until a natural disaster happens as a result of climate change is not just ignorance; it is tantamount to being part of the crime.
Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!