By Sri Lanka will play a significant role at the upcoming UN Conference of Parties (COP28) summit in Dubai. The country will launch the “Climate Justice Forum” and the “Tropical Belt Initiative” at the summit, and will also host its first-ever pavilion at the conference.
The delegation led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe will have 80 delegates, including Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Environment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Climate Change Presidential Advisor Ruwan Wijewardene, Foreign Affairs Advisor Dinouk Colombage, and four Parliamentarians.
The technical delegation will consist of 15 negotiators and ministry officials. The overflow delegation, consisting of private sector organisations and one of Sri Lanka’s biggest-ever contingents of 20 youth delegates, forms the largest part of the representation at the climate summit.
Sri Lanka’s delegation to COP28 will be the largest ever, and will include representatives from the government, the private sector, and civil society. The delegation will focus on three main initiatives:
The Tropical Belt Initiative: This initiative will call on developed countries to invest in green initiatives in countries in the tropical belt
The Climate Justice Forum: This forum will seek to reduce the debt burdens of developing countries that are most vulnerable to climate change.
The International Climate University: This university will focus on research on protecting the tropical belt and other climate initiatives.
Sri Lanka’s participation in COP28 is important because the country is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. The country has already experienced a number of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, and cyclones. These events have caused significant damage to infrastructure and agriculture and have displaced millions of people.
Sri Lanka’s leadership at COP28 will be a critical step in the fight against climate change. The country’s initiatives will help to ensure that the needs of developing countries are met and that the global community takes action to address the climate crisis.
