Sri Lanka, UNDP Sign $4.5 Million GEF-Funded Project to Strengthen Coastal Biodiversity Conservation

Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement a five-year conservation initiative worth US$4.507 million, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The project is aimed at promoting sustainable economic opportunities through the conservation and sustainable management of critical biodiversity and ecosystem services in Sri Lanka’s eastern and southern coastal regions.

It is expected to support efforts to protect valuable natural resources while also strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities facing the impacts of climate change.

The initiative will be implemented across the Ampara, Batticaloa, and Hambantota districts, with a particular focus on strengthening biodiversity conservation, improving ecosystem resilience, and developing nature-based economic opportunities for local communities.

By combining environmental protection with sustainable livelihood opportunities, the project seeks to ensure that conservation efforts also contribute to the long-term economic well-being of coastal populations.

Among its key priorities will be strengthening governance and institutional capacity for effective landscape and seascape management.

The project will also seek to improve access to financing for nature-based solutions and demonstrate ecosystem-based management approaches in coastal areas.

In addition, the initiative will promote greater public awareness and knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, while incorporating gender considerations into project planning and implementation.

Strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems will also form an important component, helping ensure that conservation measures deliver sustainable and measurable results over the long term.

The UNDP said the project would adopt a community-focused and multi-sectoral approach to conservation.

Through this approach, it is expected to contribute to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems while strengthening climate resilience and creating more sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities living in coastal areas.

The agreement was signed by K. R. Uduwawala, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, and Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka.

Mohan Heenatigala, Director of Biodiversity at the Ministry of Environment, as well as other representatives from the UNDP, were also present at the signing ceremony.