Business

Climate adaptation now a business survival imperative, experts warn

Published

3 weeks ago

2026/06/12

Businesses in Sri Lanka risk severe financial and operational disruption unless they urgently invest in climate adaptation and resilience measures, leading climate experts warned at a high-level dialogue on “Climate-Proofing Business Sri Lanka” held on Wednesday at Genesis – The Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future.

The event, jointly organized by Genesis and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, brought together corporate leaders, sustainability professionals, policymakers and climate specialists to discuss how climate change is rapidly emerging as one of the biggest risks facing Sri Lanka’s economy.

Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Specialist Rohan Cooray said climate-related disasters were already exacting a heavy economic toll globally and locally.

He noted that climate-induced losses divert resources that could otherwise be invested in economic development and business growth and stressed the need for stronger adaptation measures to protect investments and livelihoods.

Delivering the keynote address, internationally renowned climate lawyer and governance specialist Dr. Lalanath de Silva said climate change was no longer a future threat but a present-day economic reality that businesses could not afford to ignore.

“The impacts are coming whether we like it or not,” he said. “The question is whether we prepare now or pay a much higher price later.”

Dr. de Silva explained that while global efforts have largely focused on mitigation—reducing greenhouse gas emissions—adaptation has become equally important, particularly for vulnerable countries such as Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lanka contributes less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet we are among the countries most vulnerable to climate impacts,” he said.

He warned that climate change would alter rainfall patterns, intensify floods and droughts, increase the frequency of extreme weather events and place growing pressure on infrastructure, agriculture, water resources and businesses.

“We are very good at producing plans in Sri Lanka. What we have not been good at is implementing them.”

Calling for stronger institutional coordination, Dr. de Silva proposed the establishment of a high-level climate coordination mechanism operating at the highest level of government to ensure coherent action across ministries and agencies.

Providing scientific context to the discussion, Cooray presented projections based on global and regional climate models adopted by Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology.

According to Cooray, rainfall patterns across Sri Lanka are expected to become increasingly erratic.

The wet zone is projected to receive more intense rainfall events while many dry-zone regions could experience prolonged drought conditions interspersed with extreme rainfall episodes.

“The danger is not simply that some places become wetter and others become drier. The danger is the increasing variability and unpredictability of rainfall,” he said.

While mitigation projects often generate measurable returns, adaptation investments require innovative financing mechanisms and stronger public-private partnerships, speakers noted.

The event also featured contributions from Dilhan C. Fernando, chairman of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; and Yasangi Randeni, Chief Sustainability Officer of Aitken Spence PLC.

Speakers agreed that climate-proofing businesses is no longer simply about environmental responsibility but about safeguarding assets, maintaining competitiveness, protecting supply chains and ensuring long-term economic sustainability.

The consensus emerging from the forum was clear: while mitigation remains important, Sri Lanka’s immediate priority must be preparing businesses, communities and institutions for climate impacts that are already unavoidable.

By Ifham Nizam

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Business

Canada Day celebration highlights deepening Sri Lanka-Canada business ties

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/3

Thilina Walpola

H.C. Isabelle Martin

The vibrant celebration of Canada’s 159th National Day in Colombo brought together diplomats, government representatives, leading business executives and members of the Sri Lankan and Canadian communities, highlighting the growing strength of bilateral economic and commercial relations between Sri Lanka and Canada.

Hosted by the Canada Sri Lanka Business Convention (CanCham Sri Lanka), the event attracted one of the largest gatherings in its history, providing an important platform for business networking while celebrating the enduring friendship between the two countries.

Addressing the gathering, High Commissioner for Canada in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Isabelle Martin said Canada and Sri Lanka continue to enjoy a warm and expanding partnership built on shared values, people-to-people links, trade, investment and development cooperation.

“Canada Day is an opportunity not only to celebrate our country but also to celebrate the strong friendships and partnerships we have built with Sri Lanka.

The remarkable turnout this evening reflects the strength of those relationships and the growing collaboration between our two nations,” Martin said.

She noted that the close engagement between Canadian and Sri Lankan businesses continues to create new opportunities in trade, innovation, education, sustainable development and investment.

CanCham Sri Lanka officials said this year’s celebration was among the most successful Canada Day events ever organised by the Chamber, drawing an outstanding crowd and creating exceptional opportunities for business networking.

“What an incredible celebration of Canada Day. This was truly one of the most successful Canada Day celebrations in history, with an outstanding crowd and exceptional networking opportunities. It was wonderful to see so many distinguished guests, business leaders and community members come together,” the organisers said.

They thanked sponsors, partners, supporters and volunteers whose dedication ensured the success of the event.

The evening showcased Canada’s multicultural heritage while reaffirming the Chamber’s commitment to promoting stronger commercial links between Sri Lanka and Canada.

Guests representing a wide cross-section of industries exchanged ideas on expanding trade, investment and innovation partnerships.

Canada remains an important economic partner for Sri Lanka, with bilateral trade spanning apparel, agriculture, seafood, ICT services, education and professional services.

Canadian companies continue to explore opportunities in renewable energy, infrastructure, technology and sustainable development, while Sri Lankan exporters maintain a significant presence in the Canadian market.

Business leaders attending the celebration expressed confidence that closer collaboration between the two countries would further strengthen economic resilience and create new opportunities for investment, entrepreneurship and knowledge sharing.

The event concluded on a celebratory note, reaffirming the longstanding friendship between Canada and Sri Lanka and the shared commitment to fostering stronger business and people-to-people ties in the years ahead.

By Ifham Nizam

Business

Tokyo Cement inspires future-ready construction at BUILD BEYOND 2026 Technology Summit

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/3

Thilina Walpola

Senior Professor Priyan Mendis from the University of Melbourne, speaking at the ‘Build Beyond 2026 Summit

Tokyo Cement hosted ‘Build Beyond 2026 Summit’, a premier knowledge-sharing conference that brought together leading academics, civil and structural engineering experts and professionals of the Sri Lankan construction industry. The event featured keynote addresses by renowned construction technology specialists, Professor Shashank Bishnoi from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi-Abu Dhabi, and Senior Professor Priyan Mendis from the University of Melbourne.

The summit marked the second edition of the Build Beyond Engineering Technology Summit organized by the Tokyo Cement Group, designed to foster collaboration between academia and industry while highlighting global trends, innovations, and emerging technologies in cement and concrete. This year’s discussions focused on advancements in material science that are driving more sustainable and cost-efficient construction practices.

The event drew participation from state-sector authorities, research institutions, academia, engineering students, and public and private sector organizations, creating a dynamic platform for engagement across the construction industry. A key feature of the summit was a high-level panel discussion on “Building a Resilient and Sustainable Construction Future,” featuring several distinguished industry leaders.

The panel included Eng. Nissanka Wijerathne, the Secretary General/CEO of the Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka (CCI), Founder and Deputy Chairman of Civil & Structural Engineering Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd.; Eng. Shiromal Fernando, the Chairman of CTBUH Sri Lanka and Vice President of the Green Building Council Sri Lanka, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University and visiting lecturer at the University of Moratuwa; Eng.

Business

Who will become Sri Lanka’s most popular websites? BestWeb.LK 2026 opens Rate & Review

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/3

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka’s premier web design competition organised by the LK Domain Registry, officially opened BestWeb.LK Rate & Review for 2026 from 23rd to 30th June, It invites everyone to evaluate and rate the sites at rate.bestweb.lk.

Now in its 16th edition, BestWeb.LK continues to set the standard for digital excellence across Sri Lanka. This year, the competition introduces an enhanced Rate & Review System that moves beyond traditional vote-counting, combining public ratings with quality assessments to deliver a fair and comprehensive evaluation across all competition categories.

Members of the public are invited to browse all shortlisted websites, visit each site directly, and submit a rating on a scale of 1 to 5 based on their overall experience. To encourage meaningful participation, ratings submitted by verified users who sign in and complete a one-time OTP verification will carry full 100% weighting in the evaluation. Guest ratings are also accepted, though they carry less weight. Each participant may rate a specific website only once, and a minimum number of verified ratings is required for a website to qualify for the Most Popular Website award in its respective category.

Speaking on the initiative, Prof. Gihan Dias, CEO and Domain Registrar of the LK Domain Registry, stated: “BestWeb.LK has always been about celebrating the best of Sri Lanka’s digital landscape, and public participation is central to that. The Rate and Review System reflect our commitment to ensuring that recognition is meaningful, credible, and truly representative of the quality our web community continues to build.”

Throughout the rating window, the BestWeb.LK Technical Team will actively monitor all participating websites through an automated system to uphold the integrity of the process and identify the Most Popular Website winners in each category.

You are encouraged to rate as many shortlisted websites as you can to ensure broad and balanced feedback across all categories.