United Republican Front leader, MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, asserted that countries accountable for carbon emissions should fulfill a ‘carbon debt,’ ranging from USD 132 to 220 million, to assist Sri Lanka in navigating its current economic crisis.
Speaking at a program organized by his party, MP Ranawaka disclosed his past attempt to establish a carbon fund, which unfortunately never materialized due to a lack of response from the then government.
Ranawaka stressed that carbon emissions should be factored into the assessment of a country’s development alongside its GDP. Despite President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing the concept of carbon debt, Ranawaka noted that he had introduced this idea as early as 2017.
Highlighting that the per capita carbon emission volume, crucial for combating global warming, is determined at 2.1 tons, Ranawaka pointed out that in Sri Lanka, it stands significantly lower at 1.1 tons. He argued that this discrepancy implies that other countries are utilizing the quota meant for Sri Lanka, emphasizing the need for these nations to settle the carbon debt in monetary terms.
