GGGI Sri Lanka traced how national adaptation planning is translating into local resilience and restoration on the ground, at “Roots of Resilience: A World Mangroves Day Dialogue,” a forum hosted by Biodiversity Sri Lanka, in partnership with NDB Bank

Colombo, Sri Lanka – 28 July 2026 — Scientists, conservation practitioners, business leaders, and policymakers gathered at the “Roots of Resilience: A World Mangroves Day Dialogue,” a Knowledge Sharing & Awareness Forum presented by Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) and NDB Bank to mark the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems. The forum spotlighted the ecological and economic value of mangrove ecosystems and the growing role of the private sector in protecting them.

Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) calls for accelerated, science-backed public-private action to protect the island’s critical coastal shield. Through its flagship Life to Our Mangroves initiative, BSL highlights the urgent need to move beyond simple tree-planting toward comprehensive ecological restoration.

“Restoring our mangroves is not just planting trees—it is rebuilding the vital blue-green infrastructure that shields our coastlines, secures marine life, and anchors community resilience against a changing climate,” says Shiranee Yasaratne, Senior Technical Advisor, representing Biodiversity Sri Lanka. “Through unified corporate action and scientific precision, we are not just planting roots; we are restoring a living defense system for Sri Lanka’s future.” As climate vulnerabilities rise globally, BSL urges the private sector to scale up investments in nature-based solutions, positioning Sri Lanka as a regional leader in coastal wetland protection.

The forum opened with a keynote address by Professor Sevvandi Jayakody, Chair Professor of Aquaculture and Fisheries at Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, who explored the vital role mangroves play in coastal protection, biodiversity, and fisheries, and their contribution to Sri Lanka’s climate resilience. She made the case for restoration grounded in science, using accelerated natural regeneration to restore mangroves at the Anawilundawa Ramsar wetland. This was followed by a panel roundtable, “From Boardroom to Coastline: Private Sector Action on Mangroves,” which brought together representatives from NDB and Hayleys Fabrics to discuss corporate investment in mangrove restoration and opportunities for stronger private-sector engagement.

Dr. Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu, Country Representative for GGGI Sri Lanka, presented “How Sri Lanka’s Climate Adaptation Can Work for Coastal Communities – Evidence from the Field.” Using ongoing work at Anawilundawa as a case study, she demonstrated how national and provincial adaptation planning can be translated into practical action at the community level. Her presentation began with the case for local evidence in a multi partner socio-economic assessment including a household survey and focus group discussions on the ground around the Anawilundawa Ramsar wetland, alongside a focused Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis.

Drawing on the findings, five priorities were identified for local adaptation: aligning plans with local risk management and government coordination; strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods and local enterprises; embedding gender equality and social inclusion; expanding community participation in mangrove restoration and stewardship; and building partnerships with the private sector and academia to support finance, market access, research, and monitoring.

Dr. Senaratna Sellamuttu connected these local realities to the national picture, outlining Sri Lanka’s forthcoming National Adaptation Plan (2026–2035), which sets out action plans across 13 climate-vulnerable sectors, including Coastal & Marine and Biodiversity & Ecosystems. Working closely with the Ministry of Environment and the Climate Change Secretariat, GGGI Sri Lanka has been the delivery partner leading the revision of the National Adaptation Plan, now going through the Cabinet approval process and the development of the first set of nine Provincial Adaptation Plans, including for the Northwestern Province.

Dr. Senaratna Sellamuttu also highlighted roles for the private sector: mentoring women- and youth-led enterprises, improving market access, providing finance and business support, strengthening restoration stewardship, and applying technology and data. Drawing on a 2025 GGGI study tour to North Kalimantan, Indonesia, where 24 Sri Lankan government officials learned from the Indonesia’s Nature-based Solutions for Climate-Smart Livelihoods in Mangrove Landscapes (NASCLIM) project, she emphasized that mangrove restoration is most effective when it builds on builds on local skills and connects community enterprises to markets, finance, and long-term ecosystem management.

“The private sector’s role doesn’t have to stop at funding mangrove restoration and conservation. When corporates help build market access and viable business models around mangrove-friendly livelihoods — the way we’ve seen work in the GGGI initiative in Indonesia — they’re investing in the next generation of climate-resilient coastal economies,” said Dr. Senaratna Sellamuttu.

She closed by pointing to the potential for more innovative financing instruments such as directing the use of proceeds from green bonds toward building resilience and exploring adaptation initiatives to help finance and scale this work going forward.

Looking ahead, GGGI Sri Lanka reaffirmed its commitment to working with government, communities, academia, and the private sector to move adaptation from planning to implementation, pairing the evidence base built through assessments like Anawilundawa with the financing and partnerships needed to scale mangrove restoration and resilient livelihoods across Sri Lanka’s coastal provinces.

About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2012 at the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. GGGI supports its member countries in transitioning to a “green growth” economic model that achieves both economic growth and environmental sustainability while reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion. Currently working with 55 member countries and 30 partner countries and regional integration organizations, GGGI conducts various projects in over 57 countries. Its core activities include developing innovative green solutions, providing policy and technical support, building capacity, and establishing pipelines for green investment projects, thereby contributing to the implementation of member countries’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.