SL should receive USD 132 to 220 Mn in carbon debt from responsible countries: Patali

Colombo, Nov 28 (Daily Mirror) - The countries that are responsible for carbon emissions should pay what is called ‘carbon debt’ amounting to USD 132 to 220 million to Sri Lanka which is now engulfed in an economic crisis, United Republican Front leader MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Addressing a programme organized by his party, MP Ranawaka said he once tried to establish a carbon fund but it never became a reality because of a lack of response from the then government.

He said carbon emissions should be considered in the assessment of development along with the GDP of the respective countries. 

Ranawaka said though President Ranil Wickremesinghe talked about carbon debt, he had presented such an idea way back in 2017.

He also said the per capita carbon emission volume had been determined at 2.1 tons to contain global warming but it is as low as 1.1 tons in Sri Lanka.

“It means other countries take the quota meant for Sri Lanka. Therefore, they should settle the carbon debt due for us in monetary terms,” he said.