In a country where environmental destruction, political interference and weak enforcement have often overshadowed conservation efforts, the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s most formidable legal defenders of nature.2

From the catastrophic MV X-Press Pearl Disaster to the destruction of the Wilpattu National Park ecosystem, CEJ has consistently used the courts to challenge environmental crimes, state negligence and corporate irresponsibility, securing several landmark judgments that have transformed the country’s environmental jurisprudence.

Speaking to The Island, CEJ Executive Director Dilena Pathragoda said these legal victories were not merely courtroom successes but historic interventions aimed at safeguarding the rights of future generations.

“Environmental litigation is not only about protecting forests, rivers or wildlife. It is fundamentally about protecting people, public health, livelihoods and the constitutional rights of future generations to live in a safe and healthy environment,” Pathragoda said.

Among the most consequential legal actions spearheaded by CEJ was the litigation surrounding the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, regarded as Sri Lanka’s worst marine environmental catastrophe.

The Island, which was among the first newspapers to consistently highlight the gravity of the X-Press Pearl environmental disaster and its long-term ecological consequences, closely followed the legal battle that eventually resulted in a landmark compensation ruling.

The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel caught fire and sank off Sri Lanka’s western coast in 2021, releasing massive quantities of hazardous chemicals, microplastics and pollutants into the Indian Ocean, devastating marine ecosystems and fishing communities.

Pathragoda noted that the Supreme Court’s direction for compensation amounting to nearly USD 1 billion marked a turning point in Sri Lankan environmental law.

“For the first time, Sri Lanka robustly applied the internationally recognised ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ in a manner that sent a strong signal to multinational corporations and shipping operators that environmental destruction carries enormous legal and financial consequences,” he said.

Environmentalists say the ruling significantly strengthened accountability standards for transboundary pollution and maritime negligence.

Wilpattu judgment becomes watershed moment.

The CEJ-led litigation over the illegal clearing of forests adjoining Wilpattu National Park is widely regarded as one of the most powerful environmental rulings in South Asia.

The controversial clearing of the Marichchukaddi forest reserve for settlement purposes triggered widespread outrage among conservationists and scientists.

According to Pathragoda, the judgment established that politically motivated environmental destruction could not be justified under any circumstances.

“The court recognised that no authority, regardless of political power, has the right to destroy protected forests in violation of environmental laws,” he stressed.

In a landmark directive, the Court of Appeal ordered reforestation of the destroyed lands and held responsible state actors personally accountable for restoration efforts.

Legal analysts described the ruling as a major advancement in public trust doctrine and environmental accountability in Sri Lanka.

CEJ also played a central role in challenging controversial government attempts to legitimise the possession of illegally captured wild elephant calves through relaxed registration regulations.

The organisation argued that the gazette notification undermined wildlife protection laws and effectively rewarded wildlife traffickers.

“Sri Lanka’s elephants are part of our national heritage and ecological identity. Weakening protections for illegally captured elephants would have legitimised wildlife crime,” Pathragoda said.

The resulting court intervention became a significant legal safeguard for wildlife conservation and strengthened enforcement against illegal wildlife trade networks.

The deadly Meethotamulla Garbage Dump Collapse disaster also became a defining moment for environmental litigation in Sri Lanka.

CEJ had long warned authorities about the dangers posed by the uncontrolled garbage mountain in a densely populated residential area.

After the catastrophic collapse that killed dozens of residents, legal proceedings intensified scrutiny on failures in waste management governance.

Pathragoda said the tragedy demonstrated the devastating human cost of environmental negligence.

“Environmental justice is inseparable from social justice. Poor communities are often forced to bear the heaviest burden of pollution, waste and environmental mismanagement,” he observed.

The case helped reinforce the principle that improper waste disposal and environmental negligence can amount to violations of citizens’ fundamental rights.

CEJ also gained international attention through its legal challenge against the illegal importation of hazardous waste containers from the United Kingdom.

Hundreds of containers containing clinical and mixed waste had been brought into Sri Lanka in violation of international environmental conventions and domestic regulations.

The legal action ultimately compelled authorities to ensure the waste was returned to the country of origin.

“Sri Lanka cannot and must never become a dumping ground for toxic waste generated by wealthy nations,” Pathragoda asserted.

Environmental observers said the case strengthened Sri Lanka’s standing under the Basel Convention and reinforced national sovereignty in environmental governance.

Pathragoda believes Sri Lanka’s environmental litigation landscape is evolving rapidly, with courts increasingly willing to intervene where environmental harm threatens public welfare.

However, he warned that environmental destruction continues at an alarming pace due to weak enforcement, political patronage and short-term economic priorities.

“The real challenge is not the absence of laws. Sri Lanka already possesses many strong environmental statutes. The problem lies in implementation, political interference and the lack of accountability,” he said.

He added that CEJ would continue pursuing strategic litigation to protect forests, biodiversity, marine ecosystems and vulnerable communities.

“Every environmental case we file is ultimately about ensuring that future generations inherit a country that is still ecologically alive,” Pathragoda said.

He noted as climate risks intensify and ecological pressures mount, CEJ’s courtroom battles are increasingly being viewed not merely as legal contests, but as critical struggles over the environmental future of Sri Lanka itself.

By Ifham Nizam