ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN SRI LANKA: ITS STATUS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Sri Lanka is an island republic situated off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. It has a long and continuous recorded history dating back approximately 2,500 years, and claims to have one of the oldest nature reserves in the world.

However, Environmental Assessment (EA) in the country has a much shorter history. This can be traced back to the early eighties and the dramatic change in economic policies when initial legislation was enacted. The final three amendments to this legislation making EAs mandatory came into force in 1993, although there were some EIAs predating this legislation that were voluntary and prepared for large infrastructure projects. Since then, a number of EAs and Initial Environmental Examinations (IEEs) have been prepared for a wide variety of projects with varying degrees of success. Despite this, the natural environment is still undergoing rapid deterioration, while proper implementation of good EIA practice is still needed.

The research presented in this paper, which is part of a larger study on implementation of EA and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Asia, discusses the current status of environmental assessment in Sri Lanka based on information collected from field visits and interviews, as well as published and unpublished data. EA practices are discussed in the context of investigating the potential for introducing the process of SEA in Sri Lanka.

Two case studies demonstrate the consideration of environmental issues in the development of strategic sectoral policies programmes and plans. These case studies highlight the potential benefits of an effective SEA strategy in Sri Lanka, as well as identifying some of the weaknesses in the current EA system within the country.

Findings from the study suggest that rapid industrialisation combined with poor monitoring, a dearth of technically skilled personnel, the lack of baseline information and the continuing protracted civil war are key factors restricting the successful implementation of the EA process. It is from this perspective that the paper looks at the possible role that SEA may play in overcoming the failings of EA.