Sri Lanka: Valuing Biodiversity, a business case

Today, a major transformation is being witnessed as businesses worldwide are realising that conservation of biodiversity is an economic imperative. In Sri Lanka too, businesses stand to gain from a better understanding of the value of biodiversity.

ACTED, Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL), and the European Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ECCSL) in partnership with the Blue Resources Trust (BRT), Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL), and Green Movement Sri Lanka (GMSL) will host a webinar on “Valuing Biodiversity: A Business Case”. How can businesses mainstream biodiversity considerations into business practice? What are some of the good practices being explored to financially incentivise biodiversity protection and restoration? The interactive webinar aims to identify actionable strategies for businesses to accelerate progress towards biodiversity conservation and regeneration. The distinguished speakers and panelists will address the topic from their own perspectives and experiences.

Organised within the framework of the Community Livelihood and Biodiversity Recovery (COLIBRI) project funded by the European Union (EU), the webinar will be in line with the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 as well as the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan, and the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the UNFCCC’s 26^th Conference of Parties (COP26) based on the National Adaptation Plan for Sri Lanka 2016-2025. This webinar also takes place within the ambit of UNDP’s Colombo Development Dialogues (CDD) on Green Development, and its findings will contribute to the in-country policy discourse on green development.

Speakers

Opening remarks: Thorsten Bargfrede, Head of Cooperation, European Union

Keynote address: Anna Karamat, DG Environment, European Union

Guest speaker: Dr. Buddika Hapuarachchi, Team Lead & Policy Specialist of Climate and Environment Team, UNDP in Sri Lanka

Presenters

Sandani Gunawardane, Executive – Risk and Sustainability, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC (DIMO)

Chaminda Jayasekara, Experiential Manager, Jetwing Vil Uyana

Salinda Kandapola, Corporate Sustainability Manager, Tokyo Cement Group (Lanka) (PLC)

Panelists

Subramaniam Eassuwaren

Director, Biodiversity Sri Lanka & Deputy Chairman, Eswaran Brothers Exports (Pvt.) Ltd.

Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody

Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Ltd.

Suraj A. Vanniarachchy

Natural Climate Solutions Manager, Natural Capital Partners Europe Ltd.

Adheesha Perera

Senior Manager, Sustainable Banking, SDB Bank

Moderator

Arjuna Seneviratne, Chief Technical Adviser, GMSL

To register for the first webinar held from 2pm-4pm India time on 9^th December 2021 on “Valuing Biodiversity”, please follow this link to the registration: https://bit.ly/3rug6Xc