United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org
CLIMATE CHANGE AND DECENTRALIZATION:
TAKING THE CASE OF SRI LANKA
Project Title
Climate Change and Decentralization – Sri Lanka
Geographic coverage
Specific location
Type of Activity
Executing Unit
Responsible Officer/s
South Asia
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Workshop, tool development
Urban Development Branch, Global Division, UN-HABITAT
Nairobi: Nayoka Martinez, Kibe Muigai
Colombo: Perera Laxman
Other collaborating agencies
Type of Contract
Estimated total budget
% Contributions
Proposed project duration
Proposed start date
$ 52,500.00
UN-HABITAT
$ 30,000 - J080 (Norway-CCCI)
$ 22,500 - J064 (France)
June 2011 – March 2012
15 June 2011
Others
BACKGROUND
Decentralization defined
The Habitat Agenda recognizes that sustainable human settlements development can be achieved
“through the effective decentralization of responsibilities, policy management, decision-making
authority and sufficient resources, including revenue collection authority, to local authorities,
closest to and most representatives of their constituencies.” Effective decentralization is regarded
as an element of good governance and an expression of democratic practice and effective and
efficient public administration.
Decentralization in Sri Lanka
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is governed under a unitary system of Constitution.
The current Constitution of 1987 has special relevance to power sharing primarily between the
central and provincial governments and other levels of government within the system of republican
governance. Central government is responsible for the policies on the form, structure and
constitution of local authorities and national policy-making related to local government. All other
activities inclusive of operations, supervision of management, including the power to dissolve a
local authority, come under the purview of a provincial council.
At present, Sri Lanka has the following political subdivisions:
 provincial councils,
 municipal councils,
 urban councils and
 Pradeshiya Sabhas (divisional/rural councils).
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org
The current legal instruments for local governance are: the Municipal Council Ordinance, the Urban
Council Ordinance and the Pradeshiya Sabhas Act, the latter considered as a means to fully
operationalize decentralization. The central government decides on the structure of a local
authority, such as upgrading and demarcation.
The functions of the local authorities focus on environmental management and social services,
roads, thoroughfares' sanitation, health, water supply, solid waste management, sewerage and
related services. Other basic services such as education, agriculture, employment generation and
poverty alleviation have been handed over to some other (central) government-owned boards,
corporations or statutory authorities (e.g., National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Ceylon
Electricity Board, the Common Amenities Board, the National Housing Development Authority and
the Urban Development Authority), making the local authorities dependent on those institutions to
serve their electorates.
Municipal councils wield generally routine administrative powers, such as recruitment of officials,
acquisition of assets including land, licensing, instituting legal actions, budgeting and
supplementary budgeting. The general powers and duties of urban councils are similar to municipal
councils, and are environmental in nature covering the management and operation of urban
services and environs. Pradeshiya Sabhas enjoy powers similar to municipal and urban councils
with regards to routine administration of their areas, with a focus on services and the environment.
The three local authority legislations also empower local authorities to take necessary action to
ensure that revenue generation for the delivery of basic needs and services from a wide source of
funds (i.e., recovery of fines and penalties from courts, stamp duties, revenue from vested
properties and even the payments for services). The most reliable source of finance comes from the
provincial councils, through grants for establishment and development purposes.
Climate Change Action in Sri Lanka and the link to decentralization
As a developing island nation, Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
requiring substantial investments particularly in climate adaptation. The Ministry of Environment
(MOE), through its Climate Change Secretariat (MOE/CCS), is the policy body mandated to
coordinate all climate-related activities at national level. The MOE has taken steps to formulate a
National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) with support from UN-Habitat. The policy is expected to
address strategies for climate change mitigation, technology transfer, financing and investment
mechanism, education, training and awareness, monitoring, assessment and management of impact
risks due to climate change.
Sri Lanka has also recently formulated a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for 20112016 through assistance from the Asian Development Bank. This Strategy is organized according to
5 Strategic Thrusts, recognizing the multi-sectoral nature of CC impacts and setting the framework
for prioritized action and investments:
1. Mainstream Climate Change Adaptation into National Planning and Development
2. Enable Climate Resilient and Healthy Human Settlements
3. Minimize Climate Change Impacts on Food Security
4. Improve Climate Resilience of Key Economic Drivers
5. Safeguard Natural Resources and Biodiversity from Climate Change Impacts
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org
The experience in a number of countries has shown that the practical political implementation of
climate change-related policies, actions and initiatives is a serious challenge for governments. Such
policies and strategies usually address what has to be done, but not sufficiently how to do it. This is
attributed to the multi-sectoral nature of CC impacts, the diversity of interests that are potentially
affected, as well as the range of stakeholders that have to be informed and mobilized. It is an
established fact however that climate policies and strategies have to facilitate congruent actions
from both national and local governments, as well as stress climate preparedness and action at local
level, to be effective. As is the case in Sri Lanka, local governments are clearly identified as being
the primary audience, target group and key implementation partner in the implementation of
national climate policies and strategies. An effectively decentralized system of government ensures
that local governments have the political mandate, technical and financial capacity to fulfill such
integral role.
Enhancing UN-HABITAT’s current engagement on climate in Sri Lanka
Through the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI), UN-HABITAT helped the Sri Lankan cities
of Batticaloa and Negombo develop Climate Change City Profiles, strategies and action plans. This
initiative emphasizes the need for a dialogue between, and a congruent approach at national and
local levels, especially with an emphasis on vulnerability of the poor in climate change scenarios.
Green House Gas Assessments were also conducted, and these helped shape the global standard for
an Urban Green House Gas Index.
Sri Lanka is in the process of formulating a national climate change policy and is considering the
adoption and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies. This is an opportune moment
for UN-HABITAT to support the process. Specifically, UN-HABITAT could contribute to
strengthening the local government dimension of national climate response and actions. For this
purpose, UN-HABITAT can facilitate dialogues between national and local governments and other
stakeholders, and offer a range of tools and related technical resources to strengthen local
government capacity to deliver basic services created by climate change.
UN-HABITAT has developed the International Guidelines on Decentralization and on Access to
Basic Services for All, which are intended to support efforts of national governments and local
authorities to ensure access to basic services, particularly by the poor and marginalized parts of
society, through improved decentralization framework. The guidelines can be used as a tool to
advice and support efforts in Sri Lanka to operationalize existing laws on decentralization in order
to facilitate effective climate response and action (i.e., delivery of basic services created by climate
change) by local governments.
PURPOSE
To contribute to strengthening the local government dimension of national climate response and
actions in Sri Lanka, by addressing the following issues, the consultant is to address the following
questions:
1. What is the state of decentralization in Sri Lanka?
2. How does the current governance structure assist and facilitate climate change response
and related action by local authorities?
3. What governance related challenges do local authorities face when implementing a climate
change response and related action?
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org
4. What recommendations can be made for strengthening coordination and cooperation
between central and local governments in order to ensure effective implementation of
climate change policies and strategies?
OBJECTIVE
Support current process… preparation and adoption of the National Climate Change Policy, as well
as related strategies.. emphasizing the local governance dimension… in order to upscale climate
change response and action in the country.
METHODOLOGY/IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
1. Scoping study of the current governance structure, including analysis and
recommendations; (local consultant/s)
2. Identify tools and case studies as resource and reference; (local consultant/s)
3. Consider the possible application of the International Guidelines on Decentralization and
Access to Basic Services in the context;
4. Organize a National Forum to present recommendations and suggested approaches;
(participants from national and local government and civil society, counterparts from South
Asia and/or presenters of possible case studies)
5. Document recommendations (what form?) to be used in the policy and strategy dialogues;
6. Possible design of a technical assistance project to support the policy and strategy
preparation and implementation process.
OUTPUT EXPECTATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Scoping study;
Dialogue between key stakeholders in Sri Lanka;
Recommendations – policy and operational;
Proposed technical assistance project.
TIME FRAME AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
June-August
Sept/Oct
Oct-Dec
Scoping study
National forum
Recommendations including TA design and next steps
BUDGET
Activity
Scoping Study
Cost Item
$/Unit
Units
Local consultancy
Miscellaneous
$3,000
$2,000
4
1
Meeting Cost
$5,000
1
National Forum
Sub-total
$14,000
$12,000
$2,000
$34,500
$5,000
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org
External resource person
Participants -national
Participants - sub-regional
$5,000
$500
$1,000
1
15
5
$5,000
$7,500
$5,000
Mission cost (HQ)
$6,000
2
$12,000
Documentation
$4,000
Printing
Dissemination
$3,000
$1,000
1
$3,000
1
$1,000
TOTAL
$52,500