Weathering the politics of climate change

Sri Lanka, being no stranger to disaster, is also accustomed to climate disasters from time to time. In the last few years alone, the coastal line experienced what is dubbed as the worst marine disaster of the decade thus far, that has led to serious ecological damage and even human losses. 

The crux of climate change usually manifests through adverse weather events such as flash floods, landslides as well as severe heat waves. Currently, these phenomena are making headlines abroad. In the UK for example, 13 fatalities have been reported as temperatures reached north of 40 degrees Celsius.

According to research on the impact of climate change, the Global South – a common term for countries excluding North America, Europe and the Australian subcontinent – is likely to suffer the most, with South Asia being one of the hardest-hit regions. By 2050, Climate change is predicted to displace 62 million South Asian people, according to research from ActionAid International and Climate Action Network South Asia.

The evidence of man-made climate change is the clearest there has been, with near unanimous consensus among the scientific community on this topic alone. Even in the ever-sceptical lands of the US with heatwaves and wildfires, rising sea levels and extreme storms becoming more common. 

The evidence is self-explanatory; however, it is still met with surprising opposition from civil society. Last week, President Joe Biden announced moves intended to expand offshore wind, though he stopped short of declaring a national climate emergency. Nevertheless, this was after the Supreme Court ruling a month ago that limited the federal Government’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. This implies that it will be up to a divided Congress, to pass any meaningful limits on emissions.

Aggressive approaches to address climate change are now also dismissed on non-scientific grounds, favouring economic reality. Fossil fuel companies, for example, are likely to spend hundreds of millions on lost jobs or higher energy prices – without mentioning the cost of doing nothing. 

Moreover, prominent right-wing figures amplified narratives that primarily put the blame for the country’s problems on a “green agenda”. Interestingly, Sri Lanka was called out on its failed policies (particularly a 2021 ban on chemical fertilisers) and moved on to carry the story that “woke Western liberals” had “destroyed the country”, and that “climate change activism” should be treated as “a national security threat”.

Sri Lanka renewable energy businesses have banned together in an association named the Federation of Renewable Energy Developers (FRED). Affiliated with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the level of will provides a unifying voice for the renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka, promoting the promotion and adoption of advanced, efficient, and sustainable technology and policies that will promote and benefit the country’s long-term sustainable energy requirements and goals; engaging in promotional activities on sustainable technology as well as policy and technical guidance to relevant authorities. 

The association aims to work towards a framework for sustainable energy generation while making sure the country meets its “international commitments towards climate change mitigation and Sustainable Development Goals”. While there is much to be done, the dismantling of pollutive industry stronghold is a breath of fresh air, that will be the beginning of many.

The association comprises the Small Hydro Power Developers Association, the Grid Connected Solar Power Association, Wind Power Association and the Bio Energy Association of Sri Lanka, comprising over 750 MW of operational projects connected to the national grid as well as other industry stakeholders including investors, developers, science and technology professionals.