Sri Lanka calls for Asia-Pacific cooperation on climate action and blue carbon financing

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

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 the governments, academia, private sector and local communities.

Environment Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody made the appeal while participating in a special session held yesterday 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 organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Landscape Alliance. Addressing the forum, Jayakody 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 the terrestrial forests are widely recognised as the “lungs of the Earth”, the coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes absorb carbon at rates up to 10 times faster than the tropical rainforests, storing carbon for centuries within the soil systems.

Jayakody also pointed to the protective function of mangroves in mitigating the climate impacts, including acting as natural barriers against the rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Citing experiences from the 2004 tsunami, he noted that the 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 the fisheries, food security, coastal livelihoods and ecotourism. 

He added that Sri Lanka has already taken steps toward achieving the 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 and an active member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, 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 the South-South cooperation.

Concluding his remarks, Jayakody 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 socioeconomic sustainability. 

He further said that Sri Lanka looks forward to collective support from the Asia-Pacific nations and partner organisations to advance integrated climate action through collaborative frameworks.