To benefit of our next generation We must conserve our environment

We should not forget that this small island nation is becoming a grave victim of the accelerated climate change  
Photo courtesy of viator

There is no doubt that the economic crisis which Sri Lanka is facing at the moment has become a fully grown political crisis and a humanitarian emergency. The government defaulted on its debt for the first time in its history in May, as years of economic mismanagement and the enrichment of an elite few left the coffers empty. This crisis shows how the previous and incumbent government have ruled in the country. 

There is no doubt that the majority of the country’s sleepy public is also responsible for this. Without considering all these social and political issues, we cannot even talk about the overall environmental conservation of this country, including protecting the precious flora and fauna, ecosystems, and natural resources. Simply, this economic crisis is not at all favourable to environmental conservation and if we do not dedicate ourselves properly to the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s environmental resources in this critical situation, we will fall from the frying pan into the fire for sure.

We need to understand at least today that there is no socio-economic development through environmental destruction. If still our development strategy is to destroy the environment in the name of development, and if we do not halt this malicious practice even in this eleventh hour, the country will plunge into darkness

If we put fraud and corruption aside for a while, it is not necessary to say again that the hardship we are facing today is due to the unplanned development activities we have done by spending foreign loans for many decades. That development did not bring positive benefits to the country’s economy and was not favorable to the environment either. This country’s environmentalists have clamoured tirelessly that the so-called development carried out by turning natural forests into concrete forests will not bring prosperity to the people of the country as well as to the natural environment. The people didn’t understand that reality, so the white-collar thieves as well as the ‘dedicated’ politicians who rule the country did not want to pay attention to it.

Most of the development our rulers have dreamt didn’t materialize. For instance, the Moragahakanda Kaluganga multi-purpose development project, which was launched with wider visions and was a much talked-about in the recent days, because it had hampered the annual elephant gathering at the Minneriya National Park, which is ‘one of the 10 greatest wildlife wonders of the world’. During a particular tourist season, through the gathering of wild elephants in the Minneriya National Park, brought in Rs. 10 million to our country’s coffers, according to tourism industry statistics. But the authorities who were aiming to cultivate 300,000 acres of bare land through Moragahakanda Project and invested a colossal amount of foreign exchange. However, that brought neither foreign exchange nor cultivation. Moreover, during the traditional dry season, the elephants, which are affected by lack of food, invade houses, home gardens and paddy fields and destroy the crops, and the poor farmers and villagers who are already suffering from the human-elephant conflict, now feel their life and livelihood are in a complete dilemma. 

Another section of people have become victims of this unplanned development activities. This is evident as the number of human-elephant conflict incidents in the area have increased by six times by 2020, compared to 2017, according to statistics by the Wildlife Conservation Department. Female pachyderms and their calves do not encroach human habitats and perish of starvation. This situation will determine the fate of the Asian elephant population which are unique to Sri Lanka. Most of the development projects that were initiated by the rulers of our country have vouched nothing, but disasters.

The problem we are facing today is that the government is trying to destroy our precious environment again in the name of resolving the economic crisis. I highlighted at a press conference held recently by environmental conservationists about a massive forest destruction, led by the head priest of a leading ancient Buddhist temple in the North-West Province. Being the environment conservationists in Sri Lanka, we have brought this to the attention of the President about an attempt to encroach forest lands in the Kebiliththa forest reserve in the name of food security. 

However, the rulers are tightlipped on this because they assume that numerous development projects that are being carried out by destroying these forests, would bring relief to the country’s economic crisis. But we have enough evidence to this - from the past which we can submit to the authorities concerned. This is our relentless effort to protect the right to life of the future generations, including those who are yet to see the light of this world.  
We need to understand at least today that there is no socio-economic development through environmental destruction. If still our development strategy is to destroy the environment in the name of development, and if we do not halt this malicious practice even in this eleventh hour, the country will plunge into darkness.

Among all this, we should not forget that this small island nation is becoming a grave victim of the accelerated climate change. The negative impacts of global warming are affecting the economy of every country in the world. All industrial and service sectors such as agriculture, livestock, and fisheries are affected. As a country which is struggling to come out of economic crisis, we are more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. So we need to take immediate measures to prepare or adapt to those adverse impacts. We need more funds for that.

Yet, can we find adequate funds needed for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in a country where children are suffering from malnutrition?

Even at this moment, if we, the people, do not act sensibly, these dirty politicians and white-collar robbers will lead us to a dark era where we do not have neither a developed nation nor an environment that would offer support for human existence.

The writer is the convener of Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle of Sri Lanka, has obtained his Agribusiness Management Degree from the Sabaragamuwa University and MSc in Forestry and Environmental Management from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and has been working as an environment conservationist and freelance environment journalist since 2005.