Climate Change, without doubt will be the biggest challenge to everyone. Though a developing country Sri Lanka has historically contributed less to the causes of climate change than the developed countries, who face some of the more severe consequences if action is not taken nationally to mitigate and adapt.

From January 1 this year, 79 elephants had been killed. More than half of them victims of the human-elephant conflict, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

There were also 11 human deaths due to elephant attacks, Ranawaka told a press conference held at the Central Environment Authority on Tuesday.

The Sub Regional Workshop on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) Phase Out in Military Applications would be a stepping stone for a wider environment military network in Sri Lanka, said former Executive Secretary National Protocol Secretariat, UNEP K. Madhava Sharma.

Vehicles registered before 1975 which are often kept as exhibits and brand new vehicles do not need to go through the Vehicle Emission Testing (VET) Progamme to get the annual license, Motor Traffic Commissioner General Bandulage Wijeratne said.

Under the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Highways and Road Development Minister T. B. Ekanayake had taken steps to speed up the completion of Colombo- Katunayake Highway.

Highways and Road Development Ministry Media Secretary Shirantha Premawardena told The Island yesterday, plans were afoot to complete the project within 39 months.

Sri Lanka has been identified as the `Hot Spot of Solar Energy Applications at two European Union solar energy conferences in Paris and Milan, a world renowned Sri Lankan born Professor of Electronics Materials and Devices who has been actively researching on solar energy over the past three decades, said.

Energy experts believe Sri Lanka should now tap all possible renewable energy sources to cut down on the use of fossil fuels which comes to the country at a high price.

"Our economy will fall behind if we continue spending on foreign oil and coal every year," said Executive Director Energy Forum Ashoka Abeygunawardane at a recent workshop in Colombo.

Pages