SL initiates UN Global Campaign on Sustainable Nitrogen Management
Sri Lanka launched the UN Global Action Campaign on Sustainable Nitrogen Management under the theme ‘Nitrogen for Life- #Everywhereandinvisible #Halvenitrogenwaste’ at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), becoming the first country to participate in the campaign.
The campaign was launched on Wednesday (23) along with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS), under the auspices of President Maithripala Sirisena, UNEP Deputy Executive
Director- Ms. Joyce Msuya, Director of INMS- Prof. Mark Sutton, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka, Ravi Karunanayake and State Minister Ajith Mannapperuma.
Addressing the media, UNEP Deputy Executive Director stated that the Sustainable Nitrogen Management Resolution was passed at the 4th Session of the UN Environment Assembly held in March 2019 at Nairobi, Kenya keeping these issues in mind.
Referring to Sri Lanka pioneering the campaign Ms. Msuya said that this was one of the few times that such an action has taken place just eight months after passing the resolution. “This kind of haste action in launching an initiative is
not very common.” She congratulated Sri Lanka for initiating the launch of this global campaign enabling resource mobilization, regional cooperation and global action in mitigating climate change.
“Nitrogen is something fundamental and central. It is an integrator to link environmental challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss,” INMS Director Prof. Sutton stated revealing the relationship between nitrogen and pollution. “Ocean pollution is due to our oceans suffering from too much nitrate. Coral reefs are dying, but the question is it nitrogen that’s preventing their recovery? 10%-15% of air pollutants are actually nitrogen compounds,” he described.
Ajith Mannapperuma - State Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Anura Dissanayake - Secretary of the Mahaweli Development and Environment Ministry and Sunil De Silva - Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Kenya and Permanent Representative to the UNEP were among the others who addressed the press conference.