Govt allocates 600 acres in Kotmale for International Climate Change University

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday revealed plans to establish the International Climate Change University (ICCU), emphasizing that it should be an international stakeholder university rather than a solely Sri Lankan institution. He added that the government has already allocated 600 acres overlooking the Kotmale reservoir for this purpose. The President , outlined the country’s ambitious plans for environmental sustainability and economic growth at the first International Climate Change Forum at Temple Trees on Thursday (2). This conference ended yesterday (3).

He emphasized that Sri Lanka’s economic model would be built on competitiveness, digital transition, energy transition and the transformation to a green economy. He pointed out that the country’s small size could be advantageous, given its potential for excess green energy, including solar, wind power and hydrogen.

However, Sri Lanka currently lacks the expertise to formulate detailed plans for this transition. To address this, the country is reaching out to multilateral development banks and bilateral partners to obtain the necessary knowledge and support.

Furthermore, President Wickremesinghe disclosed Sri Lanka’s intention to present a climate prosperity plan at COP28, with the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040. This ambitious endeavour, while necessary for the planet’s well-being, comes with a substantial cost of over US$100 billion over 20 years.