Transitioning to Green energy seen as vital for sustainable development in SL

By Ifham Nizam

In a significant move towards sustainable development, Prof. Mohan Munasinghe, former Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, emphasized the urgent need for Sri Lanka to transition from fossil fuels to Green energy.

Prof. Munasinghe’s remarks were made during the launch of the National People’s Power (NPP) Energy Policy Framework titled “Energizing the National Renaissance,” held recently at the Courtyard Marriot in Colombo.

Prof. Munasinghe, a key figure in global sustainable development discourse, warned against continuing on the current path, which he described as “very risky.”

He called for a transformation of governance systems at all levels, stating that the NPP could play a critical role in catalyzing support for sustainable development by mobilizing business and civil society to work alongside the government.

Prof. Munasinghe added: ‘The Sustainable Development Triangle is one of the elements that show how Sri Lanka can take the first step towards balanced, inclusive, green growth. Sri Lanka is at a crucial juncture and must act now to ensure a safer and more secure future.

‘Sustainable development is the major challenge for humanity in the 21st century. At the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, we proposed the first principle for making global development more sustainable.

‘It is important to integrate the Sustainable Development Triangle, which includes three key elements—economy, society, and environment—into national policy. This approach is at the core of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which Sri Lanka endorsed in 2015.

‘Energy is one of these goals, but it is critically linked to all the other 16. It demands an integrated approach that addresses all problems together’.

Prof. Munasinghe lauded the NPP Energy Policy for building on this framework, positioning Sri Lanka on a path towards what he described as “balanced, inclusive green growth.”

The event also saw the participation of NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who echoed Prof. Munasinghe’s sentiments by emphasizing Sri Lanka’s potential in harnessing renewable energy resources such as wind and solar power. Dissanayake highlighted that the NPP’s energy policy aims to reduce the nation’s reliance on oil-based electricity generation and envisages transitioning to a green economy.