Climate change

Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, with an estimated 19 million people expected to live in moderate or severe climate hotspots by 2050.

Compounding the acceleration are insidious feedback mechanisms that PIK's research illuminates as potential game-changers. A March 2025 study from the institute projects that even low-to-moderate emission scenarios could unleash amplified heating over the next millennium.

Despite the optimism, experts warn of hurdles in ensuring equitable distribution and community access to funds. Past REDD+ pilots in Nepal have faced criticism for bureaucratic delays and inadequate consultation with marginalized groups, including indigenous Tharu and Chepang communities in the targeted provinces.

Challenges remain, including funding constraints and implementation hurdles in remote areas. However, the commitment from top leadership signals optimism.

By combining economic opportunities with risk reduction, CRALEP aims to create a ripple effect: improved market access, better health, and reduced poverty.

For Australia, participating in such high-profile missions enhances its reputation in the global space community. With the space industry projected to grow exponentially, this partnership opens doors to further commercial ventures and technological exports.

The agency emphasises that sovereign ratings have so far remained resilient, but this could change as climate shocks translate into sustained output losses, fiscal weakening, or political instability.

Horton’s final plea is therefore both scientific and moral: acknowledge the scale of the last disaster, confront the uncomfortable truths about how we live on this planet, and act before the next inevitable outbreak becomes the one we cannot contain.