By: Staff Writer
October 26, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s newly introduced National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030 is expected to open the door for greater access to international climate funds and attract global investors to green and sustainable projects, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick said yesterday.
Speaking at a forum in Colombo, Patrick described the strategy as a critical milestone in Sri Lanka’s climate transition, enabling the government to meet international due diligence requirements while planning for the medium- and long-term economic impacts of climate change.
“There are some very obvious and serious challenges for Sri Lanka, particularly in the agriculture and tourism sectors, which are heavily dependent on biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Both are at risk due to climate change,” he said.
The National Climate Finance Strategy (NCFS), first conceptualised and launched under the previous administration in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Finance, aims to provide a structured framework for mobilising both public and private climate-related investments. The strategy identifies funding pathways to strengthen renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, coastal protection, water management, and disaster resilience, while improving transparency and accountability in climate finance management.
Developed with support from international partners such as the UK Government and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the NCFS is designed to help Sri Lanka align its financing with global climate goals under the Paris Agreement. It also lays out a roadmap to integrate climate budgeting across ministries, create incentives for green investments, and develop local capacity to attract concessional loans and grants.
Patrick said the UK, as one of the world’s leading contributors to global climate finance, continues to support Sri Lanka through initiatives like the Climate Action for Resilient Asia (CARA) program. “Without a climate finance strategy of this kind, it is much harder for the Government to access those international funds,” he noted.
Highlighting Sri Lanka’s potential in renewable energy, Patrick pointed out that the island nation has enormous potential for offshore and onshore wind power, areas in which the UK has already extended technical and financial assistance. “Sri Lanka has huge capacity to generate offshore wind power, and we are glad to partner in that transition,” he said.
The British envoy also referred to several ongoing UK-backed projects, including collaboration with IMI on studying groundwater salinity in Jaffna, and regional programs aimed at enhancing climate forecasting and disaster preparedness. Improved early-warning systems, he noted, have already reduced casualties from extreme weather events despite the growing frequency of such disasters.
Patrick reaffirmed that the UK Government, the UNDP, and the Sri Lankan authorities are working in partnership to transform climate challenges into long-term investment opportunities. “International collaboration is essential for building resilience and creating sustainable growth,” he said
