AmCham hosts ‘Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for Business’

Thursday, 19 January 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka is at a crossroads in its development journey. Economic growth on the one hand will create jobs and increase wealth. On the other, it requires energy and other scarce natural resources at affordable prices to make it competitive and financially viable. The economics of this equation however fails to factor in the long-term environmental impact of some of the decisions we make today in the name of economic development and wealth creation.

Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing the world today. There is no doubt that human activities are changing the Earth’s climate, leading to warmer temperatures, more extreme weather events and rising sea levels. Most of the impacts of climate change are harmful and will undermine the ability of many countries, especially developing countries, to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sri Lanka is already seeing the impact of climate change on economic development and infrastructure.

Businesses globally are seeing challenges, but also opportunities in responding to climate change. Investments in low carbon technology, both energy efficiency and generation, are at an all-time high. Companies are adapting their operations to be resilient to the impact of climate change. Companies may face additional challenges if buyers impose limits on the carbon intensity of products. Sri Lanka and its businesses have a significant opportunity to leapfrog to a new energy paradigm to achieve its goals while mitigating climate change and adapting to the grave risks posed by climate change. The time for action is now – It is in Sri Lanka’s self-interest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate.

The American Chamber of Commerce will facilitate a discussion titled ‘Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges for Business’ with Prof. Sir Robert Watson on 24 January. Sir Watson is a leading authority on climate change, having advised and led numerous government and academic teams researching the impact on the environment and is the current chair of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The Chief Guest at the event will be President Maithripala Sirisena. For registration, please contact the AmCham Secretariat on 2300116/7 or email [email protected].