Sri Lanka calls for Asia-Pacific support for blue carbon and climate action frameworks

Colombo, July 3 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has called for stronger regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific to advance integrated climate action and blue carbon financing through shared frameworks involving governments, academia, the private sector, and local communities.

Environment Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody made the appeal while participating in a special session held this morning (3) in Bangkok, Thailand, on “Regional Cooperation for Blue Carbon Financing to Accelerate Integrated Climate Action in the Asia and Pacific Region.” The session was jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Landscape Alliance.

Addressing the forum, the Deputy Minister highlighted that for island nations such as Sri Lanka, the ocean is not merely a boundary but a vital lifeline. He highlighted the critical role of blue carbon ecosystems in addressing the global climate crisis and underscored the importance of regional collaboration to fully harness their potential.

He said that while terrestrial forests are widely recognized as the “lungs of the Earth,” coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes absorb carbon at rates up to ten times faster than tropical rainforests, storing carbon for centuries within soil systems.

The Deputy Minister also pointed to the protective function of mangroves in mitigating climate impacts, including acting as natural barriers against rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Citing experiences from the 2004 tsunami, he noted that mangrove ecosystems can reduce wave energy and cyclone impact by approximately 66 percent.

Sri Lanka’s blue carbon ecosystems, he said, are integral to the country’s blue economy, supporting fisheries, food security, coastal livelihoods, and ecotourism. He added that Sri Lanka has already taken steps toward achieving net-zero targets and restoring coastal ecosystems through its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) and National Adaptation Plan.

As the host country of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) and an active member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Sri Lanka continues to strengthen regional cooperation. The country is currently engaged in initiatives including mangrove mapping, carbon stock assessments, development of common regional measurement methodologies, and knowledge-sharing through South-South cooperation.

Concluding his remarks, the Deputy Minister said that protecting and investing in blue carbon ecosystems is not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic requirement for the region’s long-term socio-economic sustainability. He further said that Sri Lanka looks forward to collective support from Asia-Pacific nations and partner organizations to advance integrated climate action through collaborative frameworks.