WNPS Monthly Lecture, harnessing nature for climate change action will be delivered by Dr. Sriyanie Miththapala and Prof. Devaka Weerakoon on November 16 at 6 pm at the BMICH.
The biggest challenge in this century is climate change and its related impacts with multiple approaches to address these impacts. Dr. Miththapala and Prof. Devaka Weerakoon will introduce one of these approaches: nature-based solutions for climate change.
They will talk about how nature-based solutions use ecosystems (protect, manage and restore ecosystems) to reduce human vulnerability to help people adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. Common hard engineering solutions – such as retaining walls and diversion channels may reduce risk from, for example, erosion – but they provide no other, additional benefit. In contrast,nature-based solutions provide multiple benefits such as enhancing biodiversity and introducing sustainable livelihoods.
Therefore, nature-based solutions address both human well-being and ecosystem well-being, are critical to sustainable economic development and ensure that our natural wealth is conserved for future generations.The youth of today, more actively environmentally conscious than the previous generation, will find nature-based solutions to be appealing, long-term, cost-effective interventions for climate action.
Dr. Miththapala has been a visiting lecturer at the Universities of Colombo and Sri Jayewardenepura and was the Principal of Ladies’ College, Colombo. A former Smithsonian Research Associate, she is a long-term consultant with IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and supports work for its headquarters, the Washington DC office, the Sri Lanka Country office and formerly, the Asian regional office. She uses the strength of her technical knowledge to simplify and present complex material to non-biologists. She is a Commission member of IUCN’s Commission on Ecosystem Management and Commission on Education and Communication.
Prof. Weerakoon’s main research interest is the conservation of threatened species, especially Asian Elephants in Sri Lanka. He also serves as the chief technical advisor on fauna for the Red Listing program of Sri Lanka from 1996 to date. He is also a technical advisor to the Ministry of Environment on the conservation of threatened species. Prof. Weerakoon has also served as a consultant on Biodiversity to IUCN Asian Regional Office as well as IUCN Sri Lanka. He is a member of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
The speakers have over six decades of combined experience in biodiversity conservation between them.
Dr. Miththapala and Prof. Weerakoon were part of a global team that provided the course content for an e-learning course titled ‘Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Working with nature to adapt to a changing climate’.
The monthly lecture of the WNPS is supported by the Nations Trust Bank. It is open to both members and non-members.
