Climate change and its impacts on people in Sri Lanka

Economic impacts

Agriculture

The main source of revenue of agriculture in Sri Lanka is smallholder farming in paddy and vegetable cultivation. This sector is crucial to the country's economy: comprising 7.8 percent of GDP and employing 28% of the labor force.^[41] However, climate change is taking a toll on domestic market, food security, and export potential.^[42] The main crops in Sri Lanka are particularly sensitive to variation in temperature and precipitation. Near-coastal areas like fertile strips of land that are critical for production of rice and coconuts, two major exports and nutritional staples are under threat from saltwater intrusion and extreme weather events, particularly drought. As a result, various types of food insecurity and malnutrition are still prevalent and show high regional disparity which is likely to worsen in the face of climate change. Additionally, poor infrastructure in rural areas severely constrains farmers in bringing goods to market. Rivers on the wetzone of the country feed agricultural irrigation systems, which covers 13 percent of the cropped land. The increase of flood and drought frequency may lead to straining these systems especially in the dry zone where 70 percent of the rice paddies are located. The three most water marginalized irrigation districts are Thanamalwila, (Moneragala District), Anamaduwa (Puttalam District), and Horowpothana (Anuradhapura District).^[43]

Tourism

Tourism activities are also inherently vulnerable to harsh environmental conditions brought on by drought and floods. Tourism has always been a healthy industry, but these climate hazards will increasingly threaten the ability to provide visitors with a safe and attractive destination.^[44]

Infrastructure and livelihoods

These climate stressors immediately have a long-term effect on communities, specifically the damage on local infra structure and households. Post-disaster poverty, lack of job opportunities, low school attendance and high risk of drop outs is usually evident in districts hit by floods and droughts. This makes Sri Lanka in the front line of war against child labour.^[45] Sectors such as manufacturing and agricultural have a reliance upon onshore and offshore infrastructure for export. Therefore, damage to these systems can hit Sri Lankan economy.^[46][47] As for infrastructure, most of the electricity generated by hydroelectric plants, faces challenges. Generation facilities and reservoir infrastructure have been designed for specific rainfall patterns and volumes. Changing rainfall patterns are likely to affect supply. As increases in heavy precipitation may overburden and potentially cause them damage and thus reduce generating capacity.

In addition, droughts may cause reservoirs to underproduce during prolonged dry periods. Sectors such as service and industrial highly rely on the availability of electricity to function ^[48] Sabotaging the latter two will take toll on Sri Lanka's economy as industry and services account for 30 percent and 62 percent of GDP respectively. Climate hazards also have the ability to affect transportation infrastructure.^[49]

Health impacts

Despite Sri Lanka being a developing country, it provides universal health care through its Ministry of Health. However, climate change has increased its vulnerability and contracted its power. Sri Lanka is facing exceptionally high frequencies and severity of vector and rodent-borne diseases due to the compromised environmental conditions that are conducive to their breeding caused by urbanization, overcrowding, increased daytime and nighttime temperatures, and poor water management practices. Additionally, both agricultural and fishing yields have been impacted by the changing climate conditions, worsening the food insecurity, leaving 29 percent of children under five underweight. Food, waterborne illnesses, and direct weather-related health risks are also expected to increase mostly affecting 28 percent of the population working in agricultural fields. Both the general public and the Ministry of Health lack aren't mindful enough of the health risks associated with climate change.^[50]

Source : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_Sri_Lanka