The Interior Division has reiterated the urgent need for full funding to ensure uninterrupted security services, particularly for foreign nationals working on the project.
Cities like Stockholm, Kigali, and Bengaluru offer examples of successful waste management strategies that have drastically reduced open waste burning. These cities demonstrate that change is possible with strong political will, effective policies, and public engagement.
Nearly half of PM2.5 pollution in the worst-affected countries comes from the burning of fossil fuels, biomass, and agricultural waste – also major contributors to climate change. As extreme weather events worsen due to climate change, air pollution is expected to become an even greater threat, UNICEF warned.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched several schemes targeting pollution control, afforestation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management.
According to Oxfam, the world’s richest 1 per cent are responsible for 15 per cent of global emissions. This class is mostly made up of millionaires, who now total nearly 60 million globally and are projected to grow in number to over 65 million by 2028
The Ceylon Electricity Board has yet to issue an official explanation for the outage. Investigations are ongoing, and further updates are expected as restoration efforts continue.
Sources indicate that extensive consultations have been conducted at various levels, involving chief secretaries, chief ministers, mining associations, state-owned enterprises, and both large- and small-scale mining companies.