Sri Lanka vulnerable to climate change -Erik Solheim

• Tackling it offers opportunity for green path out of crisis   
• Renewable energy, electric mobility, tree planting, green agriculture and ecotourism all offer huge opportunities
• Risk of landslides, extreme weather will increase   

By Kelum Bandara   

Former Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim who is the International advisor of climate change to President Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka is ‘very vulnerable ‘ to climate change and dry areas in the north may be drier and the wet areas in the south wetter.   

In responses to questions posted by Daily Mirror by email, Mr. Solheim who was in Sri Lanka at the invitation of the president said the threats from landslides and extreme weather will increase.  

However, he said tackling climate change is also ‘an enormous opportunity’ to create green jobs and bring all Sri Lankans into a decent middle class life.   

“My old friend Ranil Wickremesinghe invited me to visit Sri Lanka and asked me to be his International Climate Adviser. I am looking forward to working closely with the President and his great team on how to assist Sri Lanka to find a green pathway out of the economic crisis. Renewable energy, electric mobility, treeplanting, green agriculture and eco-tourism all offer huge opportunities for jobs and prosperity while taking good care of Mother Earth at the same time,” he said.  

Mr. Solheim called the proposal for an university on climate science in Sri Lanka is a brilliant idea.  

“Sri Lanka has a very rich intellectual tradition and can establish a hub for climate science, working closely with other Indian Ocean nations and the rest of the world,” he said .