UNIDO will help SriLanka slash industrial energy waste & greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2019, imported fossil fuels supplied more than half of Sri Lanka’s energy demand. Industry consumed about 15% of all oil products and 33% cent of electricity.
This reliance on fossil fuels has exposed the country to the worst effects of the global energy crisis. Last year, unprecedented petrol shortages brought Sri Lanka to a near standstill, while rising energy costs continue to create financial difficulties for households and businesses.
In December 2022, leaders from across industry, civil society, finance and academia met in Colombo to explore short and long-term energy solutions amidst Sri Lanka’s worst ever energy crisis. More than 100 participants heard from experts and shared their insights into how the economically important industrial sector can move towards more sustainable energy use.
In his address to the meeting, Minister for Industries Ramesh Pathirana said, “The industrial sector employs 30% of the national workforce, so it’s essential that we future proof this sector.”
The meeting took place in the framework of Accelerating Industries’ Climate Response in Sri Lanka, a five-year initiative designed to help the country’s industrial sector transition to a low-carbon future. By transitioning to renewable energy and improving the efficiency of industrial processes, the goal is to help cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the industrial sector by 7% by 2030.
“By decoupling Sri Lanka’s industrial development from the use of imported fossil fuels, we can avoid energy crises in the future and help slow down global climate change,” said Naseer Ahamed, Sri Lanka’s Minister for the Environment.
The project was launched in mid-2022. It is led by the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Industries and Ministry of Power and Energy, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funded by the European Union under the Global Climate Change Alliance+.
