The general practice adopted in river development projects is to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of a proposal, given certain conditions. However, the social and environmental impacts are usually limited to the project area, mainly focusing on the people affected by the project....

Indiscriminate river sand mining, due to the recent boom in the construction industry in Sri Lanka, has created a number of environmental and social problems. Within this context, this study attempts to identify policy options for sustainable river sand mining that minimize environmental...

Forest cover in Sri Lanka has declined drastically during the last century. Some of the remaining forests, which are under protection, harbor high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Illegal timber extraction is the most important cause of deforestation at present. The illegal logging now...

Salinity problems are primarily associated with coastal areas and irrigated lands in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, where the total irrigated area is about 0.5 million hectares. Since irrigation has been practiced in these areas from ancient times, salinity might have been a problem at least in...

Increased vehicle emission in Colombo is one of the most important environmental issues that has drawn the attention of policymakers, administrators, and environmentalists in the recent past. Various studies undertaken by regulatory agencies and researchers clearly indicate that inefficient...

Salination is a major problem for agriculture in many parts of the world. However, this study from Sri Lanka has shown that the involving farmers in preventative measures can provide a cost-effective solution. The study looked at one of the largest irrigation schemes in Southeast Asia. The study...

The purpose of the study is to assess the impact of tariff reductions on imported potatoes on farmers, consumers and the environment. Potato cultivation employs about 25,000 farmers in Sri Lanka, so has received substantial government support over the last decade. It would be significantly...

The city of Colombo is gradually being choked to death by motor traffic and urgently needs to implement a raft of economic measures to curb emissions. This is the verdict of a study that has attracted the attention of local policymakers. The study looked at the growth of traffic in the city and...

Sri Lanka, like many countries in Southeast Asia, is battling deforestation. However, this study has found that the country's current forest conservation strategy could gain vital grass-roots support, provided it is carried out pragmatically and with full regard for local people's needs. The...