SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne yesterday said that the common responsibility of all Members of Parliament, regardless of party affiliation and whatever government is in power, should be to formulate laws that are not harmful to the environment.
He said this at a press conference held recently to explain the role and objectives of the Environment Parliament of Sri Lanka.
“As more than half of Sri Lanka’s population lives in the lowlands and coastal areas of the country, the rise in temperature is a big problem and according to the Paris Agreement, efforts should be made to increase renewable energy to 70 percent by 2030 and to completely eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by 2050”. MP Wickramaratne also said that the meeting which will be held by the Sri Lanka Environmental Parliamentary Forum on March 21, with the participation of Parliamentarians, political leaders, government officials, academics, environmentalists and environmental activists, will further discuss global and local environmental problems.
Speaking on this occasion, MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that even though the country has to face various environmental issues due to the environmental problems
in the world, we should join the global environmental debate and find solutions to those problems.
He also said that the purpose of the Environmental Parliamentary Forum is to provide the necessary guidance for maximum government intervention in the formulation of government policies to prevent people and animals from suffering due to environmental problems, and in making necessary decisions regarding government projects.
MP Yadamini Gunawardena also said during this press conference that more attention should be paid to the management of climate change affecting people’s lives and the country’s economy. He further mentioned that there should be proper coordination withthe institutions in this regard The press conference was held to educate the public on the Environment Parliament.
It was mentioned at the press conference that Sri Lanka Environment Parliament has been constituted with members of all political parties.More than 50 countries have already established Environment Parliaments.
