United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Regional Director Kanni Wignaraja discussed the need for greater investments and incentives to accelerate the transition to renewable energy in Sri Lanka, a statement from the UNDP said on Thursday.
The UNDP said Wignaraja discussed the valuation and management of natural assets, including the country's significant biodiversity, both on land and underwater, to lay the necessary foundations for innovative financing.
She also shared the findings of UNDP's 2024 Regional Human Development Report for the Asia-Pacific which provides contemporary data and analysis on the development trends in the larger region and the positioning of Sri Lanka in the broader regional context, according to the UNDP.
According to the UNDP, Wignaraja's exchanges in Sri Lanka focused on the country's current development priorities and needs, and the relevant policy reforms being pursued to ensure a more sustainable and inclusive growth and recovery.
Emphasis was placed on the challenges faced by the most vulnerable, who are highly susceptible to inflationary pressures on food and essential commodities, and regressive tax policies, the UNDP statement said.
