CENTER FOR A SMART FUTURE

NATURE CLIMATE ECONOMY

Policy Note – Responding to Global Economic Challenges: Eight Priority Trade and Competitiveness Reforms for Sri Lanka
APRIL 15, 2025
Policy Note – Responding to Global Economic Challenges: Eight Priority Trade and Competitiveness Reforms for Sri Lanka
Global trade is entering a period of turmoil that is likely to be more acute and more challenging than during the Covid-19 pandemic five years ago. Smaller economies like Sri Lanka that depend on international markets and who have benefited from a relatively predictable international trading system, will be worst affected. In this context, CSF's latest Policy Note outlines 8 key trade and competitiveness reforms and strategic initiatives that Sri Lanka must now prioritize, to build resilience and success.
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Recovery Without Relief: How Colombo’s Working Class Poor Stay Afloat
MARCH 28, 2025
Recovery Without Relief: How Colombo’s Working Class Poor Stay Afloat
With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis behind us, many have been quick to categorise Sri Lanka’s status quo as being in a state of economic recovery. However for Colombo’s working class poor, daily life remains unchanged. Even in Colombo where the wheels of economic development are turning the fastest, these communities are using the same survival strategies since 2022 of cutting expenses, depending on borrowing from the informal credit market, and juggling multiple income streams just to get by. If households are still making trade-offs and sacrifices as before, can we truly call this a recovery?
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Underwater fish and coral
MARCH 20, 2025
Casting a Lifeline for Nature: Is a Debt-for-Nature Swap the Catalyst Sri Lanka Needs?
Debt-for-nature swaps (DFNS) are now emerging as a mainstream financial instrument, mobilising millions of dollars in conservation funding worldwide. Done correctly, a DFNS is an opportunity, not a liability. For Sri Lanka, a well-structured DFNS remains both financially and ecologically valuable, offering an opportunity to secure long-term conservation funding, even in a post-restructuring scenario.
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Publication: Looking Back, Building Forward
MARCH 19, 2025
Publication: Looking Back, Building Forward
Centre for a Smart Future is pleased to launch 'Looking Back, Building Forward' A Collection of Essays on Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis and Emerging Priorities. The purpose of this publication - a collection of essays of our writing since 2022 - is twofold. Firstly, to serve as a reminder of some of the key contributing aspects of the crisis, as well as the impacts faced by vulnerable communities. With a desire to quickly ‘move on’ and celebrate recovery, these aspects have been forgotten. Secondly, to serve as reference points to inform and influence a more just, inclusive, and sustainable economic recovery, which is our idea of a ‘smart future’.
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Beyond Aswesuma: Investing in Transformative Social Protection
MARCH 14, 2025
Beyond Aswesuma: Investing in Transformative Social Protection
The impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns followed by a crushing economic crisis provided Sri Lanka the perfect opportunity to rethink what social protection means for the country, who it should be for, what it should entail and how it should be operationalised. Unfortunately what we saw was a heavy focus on one new cash transfer programme Aswesuma, which replaced the existing Samurdhi programme. This Policy Brief presents a detailed critique of the Aswesuma programme and some pathways to the new government and policy makers to strengthen social protection in Sri Lanka.
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Getting the Price Right: Rationalizing Park Entry Fees and the Case of Yala National Park
MARCH 12, 2025
Getting the Price Right: Rationalizing Park Entry Fees and the Case of Yala National Park
Sri Lanka will be hosting unprecedented numbers of tourists in the shortterm. National parks are a key tourist attraction, hosting rapidly increasing visitors since 2009. A new report by CSF, titled 'Getting the Price Right: Rationalizing Park Entry Fees and the Case of Yala National Park', makes the case for why we should take a closer look at how national park entry fees must be determined and revised. Through a review of the theory and practice of national park entry fee pricing, along with a historical analysis of Sri Lankan national park entry fee revisions, the report presents four policy considerations.
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Delivery rider on a motorcycle
MARCH 7, 2025
Precarious Paychecks: The Rise of the Gig Economy in Sri Lanka and its Implications for the Future of Work
Platform-based gig work has grown in Sri Lanka, introducing new sources of income, flexibility, and choice for workers. Yet, tensions around precarious incomes, worker safeguards, and algorithm opacity, have been under explored. New CSF research pioneers field-based findings and insights into these issues, to help move regulation forward and improve our thinking on the future of work.
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Electricity and Colombo’s Working Class Poor
MARCH 6, 2025
Electricity and Colombo’s Working Class Poor
In this latest Research Brief, Meghal Perera explores the impact of cost-reflective energy pricing on urban working class poor households. Consecutive tariff hikes have led to the deterioration of the quality of life of households as attempts to conserve electricity have often increased the time poverty of women and placed their health, comfort and safety at risk. Based on findings from over 3 years of fieldwork in low-income settlements in Colombo, this Research Brief explores key trends in electricity consumption of the urban poor, examining the impact of tariff increases as well as coping strategies adopted by households.
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World Wildlife Day Event – ‘Investing in Conservation, Valuing our Wildlife and Natural Ecosystems’
FEBRUARY 28, 2025
World Wildlife Day Event – ‘Investing in Conservation, Valuing our Wildlife and Natural Ecosystems’
Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) in partnership with Lanka Environment Fund (LEF) and Blue Resources Trust (BRT) are organising a half-day event marking World Wildlife Day 2025, filled with insightful discussions, interactive activities, and networking opportunities. The event will primarily focus on conservation finance issues (which is the theme of WWD 2025), but will also feature topics like how to balance tourism and nature, and the complexities of financing Marine Protected Area. The event aims to generate interest in pathways for mobilizing the necessary financial resources to protect our country’s valuable wildlife and nature, and encourage pragmatic thinking.
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Colombo Port (copyright Anushka Wijesinha)
FEBRUARY 27, 2025
Sri Lanka’s New Investment Law in Global Comparison: 7 Key Observations
As Sri Lanka's new government looks to revise the country’s investment framework, understanding current global trends and best practices will be crucial. Anchored to global investment policy trends identified by the UNCTAD in a recent report, this Policy Brief presents seven observations stemming from a comparison of these global trends against the investment-related provisions of the Economic Transformation Act (ETA) passed in 2024.
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graphic of a Sri Lankan leopard
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Spotting the Problem: Understanding Complexities in Tourism and Nature in Yala National Park
Tourism in Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. While the industry is a crucial driver of economic recovery, it also places immense pressure on the country’s natural resources. This paradox—where tourism both depends on and threatens nature—requires urgent attention for long-term sustainability. CSF's new report 'Spotting the Problem' explores this intricate relationship through the lens of complexity theory, highlighting the case of overcrowding and safari misbehaviour in Yala National Park Block 1.
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How Tourism and Nature Interact: Studying Perceptions in Three Sites in Sri Lanka
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
How Tourism and Nature Interact: Studying Perceptions in Three Sites in Sri Lanka
In 2024, the Centre for a Smart Future (CSF) conducted a research study on how local stakeholders perceive the interactions between tourism and nature in Maskeliya, Kalpitiya, and Yala National Park, with the objective of unpacking destination-level realities of how tourism activities are taking place in Sri Lanka’s nature-abundant tourism sites. This Background and Scoping Report provides details on the rationale and objectives of the study, and serves as a reference document for anyone who wants to know more about the methodologies used and the limitations encountered that shaped the findings and observations of the study.
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Webinar: Debt without development
FEBRUARY 6, 2025
Webinar: Debt without development
Colombo Urban Lab hosted Professor Jonathan Spencer from the University of Edinburgh and Dr. Avanka Fernando from the University of Colombo on the 16th of January 2025 in an online event titled "Debt without Development? Sri Lanka's Urban Regeneration Project's Failed Promises". The guests shared their insight on Sri Lanka’s development projects and debt, and the impact of the Colombo Urban Regeneration Project on the primary stakeholders, the local community. Alongside the discussion, a review of the key insights from the report, “Built on Sand: Colombo’s Urban Regeneration Project” was presented by the Colombo Urban Lab team. 
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mangrove plant on the coast
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
New Publication: ‘Blue Carbon’ Knowledge Primer
A new publication by CSF helps to unpack the role of Blue Carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes in Sri Lanka in combating climate change, and how Blue Carbon projects can be leveraged to finance coastal ecosystem conservation. This latest Knowledge Primer explains these aspects, reviews the international mechanisms that guide blue carbon markets, and puts forward key considerations for Sri Lanka in implementing blue carbon schemes.
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Navigating vendor informality and infrastructure in Colombo
JANUARY 29, 2025
Navigating vendor informality and infrastructure in Colombo
A new publication by Colombo Urban Lab explores the implications of relocation of vendors to modern marketplaces, with justifications for these relocations centering around formalisation, beautification, cleansing (of the streets), sanitation or the provision of modern services for vendors.
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New Report: ‘Strategic Insights on Corporate Environmental Disclosures in Sri Lanka’
JANUARY 17, 2025
New Report: ‘Strategic Insights on Corporate Environmental Disclosures in Sri Lanka’
A new report by CSF titled, 'Acronyms and Accountability: Strategic Insights on Corporate Environmental Disclosures in Sri Lanka' offers a deeper examination of corporate environmental disclosures and their significance for Sri Lanka’s sustainability journey. It aims to provide practical recommendations for decision-makers, businesses, and stakeholders to adopt more effective and impactful disclosure practices.
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shipping container terminal at a port
JANUARY 8, 2025
The Emergence of National Security Considerations in Foreign Investment Regulation
While national security considerations when developing foreign investment regulation isn’t new, it is becoming a greater consideration when assessing investment into sectors and companies that play a critical function to society or are of strategic importance to a country. A recently published Discussion Paper by CSF serves to introduce this emerging area to Sri Lankan trade and investment stakeholders, provide some country examples, and to inform further deliberation on the topic.
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Sri Lanka’s Private Sector Needs to Rethink ESG
JANUARY 3, 2025
Sri Lanka’s Private Sector Needs to Rethink ESG
While ESG seeks to channel investment towards companies that are environmentally responsible, socially conscious, and well-governed, their true sustainability impact remains debated. Several issues have been highlighted in recent reports. For Sri Lankan firms, a critical look at ESG is timely, to make meaningful progress on charting a greener, climate-resilient economic future.
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Is COP29’s Carbon Markets Deal a Climate Lifeline or Coastal Sell-out for Blue Carbon Ecosystems?
DECEMBER 21, 2024
Is COP29’s Carbon Markets Deal a Climate Lifeline or Coastal Sell-out for Blue Carbon Ecosystems?
Sri Lankan stakeholders need to view the new UNFCCC COP29 deal that set new rules for carbon markets, objectively. While it offers a new global framework for blue carbon projects - an area of emerging interest for Sri Lanka - it does come with many gaps and risks. Understanding the limitations of the deal, and indeed the complexities of blue carbon projects, is crucial for meaningful action.
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‘Debt and Dugongs’ – CSF Presentation on Debt-for-Nature Swaps and Blue Bonds
DECEMBER 18, 2024
‘Debt and Dugongs’ – CSF Presentation on Debt-for-Nature Swaps and Blue Bonds
Is Sri Lanka ready for debt instruments linked to nature? This was the focus of a knowledge sharing and engagement session that CSF held last month, at the 'Festival of Ideas' organised by the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS). The session titled, ‘Debt and Dugongs’, was led by CSF Research Associate Ashani Basnayake, and joined by CSF Director Anushka Wijesinha. Participants were drawn from civil society, private sector, development partners, and government.
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Acronyms and Accountability: Navigating Corporate Environmental Disclosures
DECEMBER 11, 2024
Acronyms and Accountability: Navigating Corporate Environmental Disclosures
Environmental disclosures are essential for accountability and transparency, but navigating the complex reporting landscape remains a challenge in Sri Lanka. From carbon accounting frameworks to sustainability standards, a myriad of acronyms shapes corporate accountability. As regulations tighten, understanding this evolving landscape and aligning with global expectations has become increasingly critical.
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Shaky foundations? Reorienting housing policy for Colombo’s urban poor
DECEMBER 5, 2024
Shaky foundations? Reorienting housing policy for Colombo’s urban poor
For over a decade, Sri Lanka's Urban Development Authority's Urban Regeneration Project has reshaped Colombo’s fabric. As the third phase of the project draws to a close next year, there is a new window of opportunity for a new government to review and change course, to create and implement evidence-based housing policy. Apart from the widely cited critiques of autocratic leadership, poor governance and military force leveled against the project, the genesis of its failure lies in a set of assumptions, mostly about the nature of the urban poor. An interrogation of these assumptions shows that they have not been based on evidence or fact, thus placing the whole project on shaky foundations. 
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Navigating Food Environments: A  Study of households in Colombo and Deniyaya
DECEMBER 1, 2024
Navigating Food Environments: A  Study of households in Colombo and Deniyaya
What fruits and vegetables do working class poor communities consume? What are the drivers behind the choices they make and how do they experience their food environment? Since July 2023, we have been researching these questions in Colombo and Deniyaya. The nutritional landscape of Sri Lanka’s working-class poor is complex, shaped by institutional and systemic challenges that go beyond lack of income or limited access to fresh produce. Real change requires addressing multiple competing costs, conducting inclusive discussions, educating communities on affordable meal preparation, and even reforming land rights policies to enable self-sustained food production.
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Mainstreaming Social Infrastructure in Development
NOVEMBER 28, 2024
Mainstreaming Social Infrastructure in Development
Development projects, especially those that include housing and public spaces, must mainstream the idea of social infrastructure. Going beyond its physical manifestations like parks or even community centres and look at the social needs of a community, drawing from aspects such as community dynamics that are crucial for creating liveable spaces that contribute to higher levels of social cohesion, and improving the overall well-being of communities.
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CSF-BSL Report: Green Finance Maturity Assessment 2024
NOVEMBER 25, 2024
CSF-BSL Report: Green Finance Maturity Assessment 2024
Green finance is getting greater attention in Sri Lanka, as banks and finance companies see it as a new area for lending, and the number of potential projects that need finance keep growing. CSF collaborated with Biodiversity Sri Lanka to better understand what this space is like right now. We surveyed 20 financial institutions to understand multiple aspects of their engagement with green finance.
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Sri Lanka Climate Risks and Impacts: A Research Compendium
NOVEMBER 25, 2024
Sri Lanka Climate Risks and Impacts: A Research Compendium
Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to climate risks, with heat, sea level rise, floods, landslides, and droughts posing significant threats to its ecosystems, economy, and communities. Local drivers such as pollution and land management exacerbate these risks, impacting agriculture and food production, cities and infrastructure, water availability, local biodiversity, and human health and well-being. This document consolidates key datapoints on climate risks and its socio-economic and environmental impacts, offering a useful source of reference for diverse stakeholders.
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Built on Sand: A Review of Colombo’s Urban Regeneration Project
NOVEMBER 12, 2024
Built on Sand: A Review of Colombo’s Urban Regeneration Project
Colombo Urban Lab's latest report "Built on Sand: A Review of Colombo’s Urban Regeneration Project" does a deep dive into one of Sri Lanka's key post-war infrastructure projects - the Urban Regeneration Project by the Urban Development Authority. This report covers the dispossession and lived realities of the relocated communities in the high-rises, looks at the financing of the URP - including findings of Auditor General's reports, reports from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other publicly available material, and the status of the 'liberated' lands in Colombo today.
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Prioritising Nature Conservation: A Message for the Next Sri Lankan Parliament
NOVEMBER 1, 2024
Prioritising Nature Conservation: A Message for the Next Sri Lankan Parliament
Sri Lanka's next Parliament has many issues to contend with, but underpinning many of these is the looming threats to our nature and biodiversity. Elected members of Parliament at the forthcoming General Election need to understand what these issues are, and what priorities need to be tackled. CSF contributed to a document that is released today on selected critical environmental issues facing Sri Lanka, aimed at informing prospective legislators in our next Parliament.
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Financing Biodiversity and Nature Amidst Debt Distress in Sri Lanka
OCTOBER 25, 2024
Financing Biodiversity and Nature Amidst Debt Distress in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka needs to become much more open to, and informed about, the new sources and mechanisms that are available for biodiversity financing. With the right domestic mechanisms, a credible policy commitment, open-mindedness among government and non-government stakeholders, and a nuanced view of the financing options, Sri Lanka can rise up to meet the challenge.
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Nature-linked Sovereign Debt Instruments: 10 Key Considerations for Sri Lanka
OCTOBER 18, 2024
Nature-linked Sovereign Debt Instruments: 10 Key Considerations for Sri Lanka
CSF recently hosted a panel discussion with three national and international experts on the role of nature-linked sovereign debt instruments in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, amidst debt distress and acute environmental pressures. This Analytical Note summarises the 10 key messages.
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Shipping containers at a port
OCTOBER 4, 2024
EU Green Deal and Implications for Sri Lanka’s Exports
CSF’s latest Policy Brief looks at the implications of selected aspects of the European Green Deal for Sri Lanka’s exports. We flag four areas for action -Government support, Public-private partnerships, International cooperation and bilateral engagement, and Industry support to SMEs.
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illustration of tourists travelling in safari jeeps in a national park viewing wildlife.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
Re-defining Destination Identities for Sustainable Tourism in Sri Lanka
Short-term and unsustainable plans for a tourism recovery, with narrow views on destination identity, can threaten the natural assets that Sri Lanka's tourism is branded on. On World Tourism Day 2024, we argue that its time for Sri Lanka to re-define tourism destination identities through an inclusive and imaginative approach. With examples from Kalpitiya and Yala, based on ongoing research, this article suggests the need to 'co-discover' destination identities with local stakeholders.
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Reclaiming Public Space: Who Is It For and Who Is Welcome?
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Reclaiming Public Space: Who Is It For and Who Is Welcome?
In July 2024, the Colombo Urban Lab team embarked on a series of exploratory sessions in Colombo to reflect on public spaces in the city. Starting at Independence Square, we took routes that went through major public spaces that we recognised as being synonymous with many people’s lives in Colombo. From Viharamahadevi Park to Race Course Mall, we looked at the purpose of each of these public spaces, and how they are used today. These are some of our reflections on what we felt, saw, and heard.
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Illustration of women planting mangroves, with wind turbines in the background
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024
3 Reasons Why Sri Lanka Should Consider Gender in Climate Finance
Climate finance is growing globally, but women risk getting left behind. From the instruments we use, to the climate actions we fund, women are impacted. As Sri Lanka attempts to accelerate climate finance, gender must be a leading consideration.
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a graphic of solar installation on a rooftop
AUGUST 5, 2024
Prioritising Green Jobs in Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery
Sri Lanka is yet to give dedicated national priority to this agenda, unlike several other countries that have placed it at the heart of public policies on TVET and employment. The country must build on the recognition given to green jobs in its Climate Prosperity Plan, and articulate a clear and future-oriented ‘Green Jobs Strategy’.
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coastline and corals underwater in Sri Lanka
JULY 18, 2024
Open Access Materials on CSF’s Work in Conservation Finance
CSF announces the launch of a set of knowledge materials, findings reports, and easy guides for interested stakeholders, freely available for download, developed under a project with Blue Resources Trust on marine conservation finance.
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closed shop in a colombo settlement
JUNE 18, 2024
Falling Through The Cracks: The Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on Colombo’s Working Class Poor
Colombo Urban Lab’s fourth policy brief on the impact of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis on the city's working class poor communities focusses on energy, education and health. These findings are from our ongoing qualitative research with communities in Colombo as well as a household survey conducted in April 2024 with thirty households in a settlement in North Colombo.
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Methodology for Mapping Urban Food Environments
JUNE 7, 2024
Methodology for Mapping Urban Food Environments
Mapping food vendors is an important method to capture availability, accessibility and diversity of food environments. This report details the methodology used to map food vendors in urban sites and explores the reasons behind the development of this methodology. It provides practical insights into the implementation of field-based vendor mapping, discussing both the challenges encountered and the lessons learned.
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monkeys in trees near a board room table
JUNE 5, 2024
To What Extent Do Sri Lankan Financial Institutions Integrate Environmental Considerations?
Beach cleanups, tree planting programmes, and commitments to recycling. These are some of the common ways in which Sri Lankan financial institutions typically market World Environment Day, falling each year on the 5th of June. Yet, there are major outstanding questions as to whether the country's financial institutions are effectively orienting themselves to meet the environmental challenges emerging in the country, and ensure that capital flows in the direction needed to foster a nature-positive economic recovery for Sri Lanka. New research by CSF shows that Sri Lankan financial institutions have some way to go in demonstrating environmental integration in their business.
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Algorithms at Work: The Management of Gig Work in Sri Lanka
MAY 7, 2024
Algorithms at Work: The Management of Gig Work in Sri Lanka
A new publication by CSF explores the proliferation of algorithms in platform-based gig work, and draws on field research from Sri Lanka on implications for gig workers in the delivery and ride-hailing occupations. The publication titled, 'Algorithms at Work: The Management of Gig Work in Sri Lanka' by Anisha Gooneratne, is part of CSF's thematic pillar on Inclusive Technology and Innovation.
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Settlements in Colombo: Sustainability of neighbourhoods
MAY 3, 2024
Settlements in Colombo: Sustainability of neighbourhoods
This infographic provides an overview of the sustainability of neighbourhoods in Colombo. A total of 1,360 settlements in the Colombo Municipality were surveyed in 2023, using 27 indicators for physical infrastructure, tenure and socio-economic conditions, to assess sustainability of neighbourhoods. The findings showed that settlements cannot be characterised as underserved settlements as they have adequate infrastructure provisioning.
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currency notes and coins on a forest floor
APRIL 18, 2024
Advancing Green Finance in Sri Lanka: Updates, Prospects, and Challenges
For a recent Roundtable on green finance with financial institutions and development partners, CSF had the opportunity to provide inputs into the design of the session and provide concluding insights at the end of the session. This Analytical Note serves as a recap of the key findings and takeaways on the progress of implementing green finance in Sri Lanka, the near-term prospects, and current and emerging challenges to be tackled.
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Communicating Crisis
APRIL 15, 2024
Communicating Crisis
On the 7th of March 2024, Centre for a Smart Future and Colombo Urban Lab hosted an event called, “Communicating Crisis”. The event featured a panel discussion on Sri Lanka’s path to a just recovery, anchored to key questions. How do economic indicators compare with people’s lived experiences? How can civil society and the media amplify voices from the ground?
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Cover image of Analytical Note Edition 3
APRIL 4, 2024
Sustainable Financing for Marine Conservation – Recap of Knowledge Roundtable 3
As Sri Lanka endures mounting pressure on public finances and explores new avenues for funding conservation efforts, CTFs have emerged as a promising mechanism that could provide long-term financing for its Protected Areas (PAs). David Meyers, Executive Director of the Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA), spoke at a recent Knowledge Roundtable organised by CSF on Conservation Trust Funds. Read our Analytical Note Edition 3, which summarises the key takeaways and insights from David Meyers and discussion generated by the participants.
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Behind the scenes: Colombo Settlements Survey 2023
MARCH 29, 2024
Behind the scenes: Colombo Settlements Survey 2023
While data and numbers offer helpful insights, the picture it paints is almost always incomplete without an understanding of how those numbers were arrived at—how data is collected, and the sensitivities that enumerators need to be mindful of when conducting large scale surveys. Understanding the methodology of conducting such surveys add an important realistic dimension to policies that are solely data-driven.
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Does Colombo have sprawling slums and shanties?
MARCH 27, 2024
Does Colombo have sprawling slums and shanties?
This infographic provides an overview of settlements in the City of Colombo. The map shows the distribution of settlements in Colombo, with the most number of settlements concentrated in Colombo North. The data shows that most settlements have upgraded on-site, and that compared to other cities in the Global South, Colombo’s settlements are smaller and fragmented, with no trend of sprawling slums and shanties to be found.
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Are Colombo’s working class poor really ‘underserved’?
MARCH 26, 2024
Are Colombo’s working class poor really ‘underserved’?
How we talk about the urban poor is situated in a broader context of urban development and competing ideas of what Colombo should and will look like, and such words sanction the exclusion of the urban poor from the city.  It is crucial that our terminology reflects the complexity of ground level realities, particularly when Sri Lanka’s difference is erased and subsumed by other South Asian narratives. 
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a jungle cabin in the hills
MARCH 25, 2024
How can we re-orient Sri Lanka’s tourism future?
CSF Research Associate Senith Abeyanayake reflects on a recent engagement with tourism industry leaders for a panel on charting a nature-positive economic recovery for Sri Lanka's tourism. This is part of CSF's 'Perspectives Series' of articles.
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Colombo Settlements Survey 2023
MARCH 13, 2024
Colombo Settlements Survey 2023
SEVANATHA and Colombo Urban Lab is pleased to announce the launch of the Colombo Settlements Survey Report for the year 2023, in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council. The report provides the latest data on all 1360 urban settlements in the City of Colombo, with key findings and recommendations. The Colombo Settlements Survey is the third iteration of the Survey, which was previously conducted in 2002 and 2012 by SEVANATHA in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council. The survey collects data on key indicators including tenure, access to basic services and level of housing development as well as on the socio-economic aspects of the settlements.
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Cover image of Analytical Note edition 2
FEBRUARY 19, 2024
Sustainable Financing for Marine Conservation – Recap of Knowledge Roundtable 2
From our work with BRT on sustainable financing for marine conservation, read our Analytical Note Edition 2, from our second Knowledge Roundtable. It focuses on the imperative to develop bankable marine conservation plans, incorporating financial incentives and showcasing economic feasibility.
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Cover image of Analytical Note edition 1
FEBRUARY 19, 2024
Sustainable Financing for Marine Conservation – Recap of Knowledge Roundtable 1
From our work with BRT on sustainable financing for marine conservation, read our Analytical Note Edition 1, from our first Knowledge Roundtable. It covers the need for site specific considerations for financing tools, government buy-in, and the alignment of financial incentives with stakeholder perspectives.
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Hotel in a regenerated wetland
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
CSF embarks on a new research project on nature and tourism in Sri Lanka
CSF is setting out to study the dynamics shaping a possible tourism recovery path that is just by nature, and study stakeholder perceptions around the barriers for, and opportunities to drive, a more nature-positive tourism sector.
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closed shop in a colombo settlement
FEBRUARY 11, 2024
Quantifying poverty: Can we truly capture its complexity?
Developing an operational definition for household poverty requires the consideration of two aspects. Firstly, it needs to identify an indicative property or combination of such properties which are generalisable across all households facing poverty (within the population of interest), and secondly, it needs to explain how they would be empirically measured and the degree of poverty calculated. According to the discourse on the limitations of both Samurdhi and Aswesuma, this article highlights how these aspects need to negotiate the complexities of at least three conflicting cues (a triple bind). 
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teacher with tablet computer in a classroom
FEBRUARY 10, 2024
Dissecting the Digital Focus in Sri Lanka’s National Education Policy Framework
Sri Lanka’s multiple and overlapping crises since the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 have impacted digital inclusion, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities, and in turn impacting the prospects for inclusive digital education. These cannot be ignored when crafting national education policy frameworks where ‘digital’ features so prominently, and must be dealt with in a considered and coherent manner.
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sunlight streams through a forest
JANUARY 23, 2024
Towards a Nature-Positive Economic Recovery in Sri Lanka: An Interview Series
As Sri Lanka's economic crisis jeopardizes sustainable development, the looming threat to environmental conservation and natural resource management is becoming apparent. The government's shrinking fiscal space intensifies the limiting of budgets for crucial initiatives. Meanwhile, much of the private sector is yet to fully integrate nature into their business and investment decisions. To add new ideas to the debate and push the conversation further, CSF and Echelon are collaborating on a new interview series launching soon.
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vendors in a market
JANUARY 22, 2024
A research methodology to understand stories of development and displacement in two of Colombo’s markets
In the bid to build a world class city, many of Colombo’s working class poor found themselves being displaced- displaced from both places of residence and places of business, as they did not align with Colombo’s evolving identity. This article presents a methodology, following an ethnographic approach to understanding development and the problems associated with it for those whose views are seldom included in the new city identity.
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graphic of fungi and coins near a log
JANUARY 17, 2024
Expanding Green Finance in Sri Lanka’s Financial Services Sector
There is now a growing interest in Sri Lanka on the concepts and prospects for green finance among Sri Lankan policymakers, regulators, and financial intermediaries, and some initial steps have been made to orient towards green lending. Yet, how far has actual implementation come and what are the prospects for the near-term? What are some of the critical issues that the financial sector must contend with, as it aims to support investments in a climate-resilient and nature-positive economic recovery?
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graphic of leopard
JANUARY 12, 2024
New Publication: ‘Conservation Trust Funds’ Knowledge Primer
As Sri Lanka looks to leverage innovative financial solutions for both public finance as well as environmental conservation objectives, a key mechanism that stakeholders must become familiar with is 'Conservations Trust Funds'. A new publication by helps unpack what Conservations Trusts are, what key features they have, why they are used, and provides some insightful examples of their deployment in other countries around the world.
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matrix graph of finance and marine conservation
JANUARY 12, 2024
Applying Innovative Financial Instruments to Marine Conservation in Sri Lanka
Based on a suggestion at a recent Knowledge Roundtable hosted by CSF, our researchers set out to compare various innovative financial solutions available for conservation and identify which might be the most desirable and feasible to implement. It provides a starting point for industry players, regulators, policymakers, and other interested parties to make meaningful improvements to financing marine conservation in Sri Lanka
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graphic of corals in the sea
JANUARY 12, 2024
New Publication: ‘Blue Bonds’ Knowledge Primer
A new publication by CSF helps unpack what blue bonds are, for stakeholders in both the finance as well as environment professions, alongside Sri Lanka's interest in pursuing such instruments following other developing countries like Seychelles, Belize, Barbados, and others.
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Anchoring meaningful community participation at the heart of nature-based solutions in cities
SEPTEMBER 26, 2023
Anchoring meaningful community participation at the heart of nature-based solutions in cities
Nature-based solutions (NbS) aim to repair, sustain, and protect ecosystems while addressing societal challenges. They include biodiversity conservation, erosion control, wetland reforestation, climate change mitigation, food and water security, among others.
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Dirty Business: Reading modernity in Colombo’s fish markets
SEPTEMBER 20, 2023
Dirty Business: Reading modernity in Colombo’s fish markets
Why are fish markets consistently decried as filthy, and what does that say about urban space and our changing ideas of what is acceptable in our cities? While adding fish markets to the list of national failings may be the simplest course of action, a closer examination of how these markets are perceived by urban planners and administrators, offers us insight into dominant ideologies of planning, municipal governance and public health that continue to influence our cities today.
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elephants in a Sri Lankan national park
SEPTEMBER 18, 2023
Financing Conservation: Six Mechanisms Sri Lanka Should Know About
Climate shocks and natural ecosystem losses pose development challenges, especially for developing countries like Sri Lanka. Economic crises and debt restructuring pressure these countries, highlighting the need for innovative financing solutions. This article explores six financial instruments and initiatives to inspire Sri Lanka's efforts.
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Ride hailing gig worker driving a Tuk tuk
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
Understanding Power Asymmetries in Platform-based Gig Work
A recent survey by CSF found gig workers desire independence, freedom, and flexibility, making it an attractive choice. This article explores power asymmetries in gig economy models in Sri Lanka, focusing on the reasons behind joining the gig economy.
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trincomalee sea at sunset and boat
SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
A New Project on Innovative Financing for Sustainable Marine Conservation in Sri Lanka
Ecological conservation sites in Sri Lanka can benefit from improved financial planning and management, requiring alignment between conservation and financing stakeholders. However, lack of knowledge on science-based conservation metrics limits attention to this area.
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Borrowing To Eat: The Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on Colombo’s Working Class Poor
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
Borrowing To Eat: The Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on Colombo’s Working Class Poor
Colombo Urban Lab's policy brief on Sri Lanka's economic crisis highlights increased household debt and social security in working-class poor communities, highlighting the unique challenges faced by these families, despite the seemingly normal streets.
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Policy-Lab on ‘Integrating Equity and Reframing Urban NbS in South Asian Cities’
AUGUST 16, 2023
Policy-Lab on ‘Integrating Equity and Reframing Urban NbS in South Asian Cities’
A two-day Policy-Lab in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on August 22-23, 2023, will focus on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for South Asian cities, integrating equity and addressing unique challenges, with collaborations from Colombo Urban Lab, People's Alliance for Right to Land, Transitions Research, and International Centre for Climate Change and Development.
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Circuits of Semiconductors and Affiliation: a Shallow Dive into the Small-Scale Mobile Phone Repair Sector
JULY 15, 2023
Circuits of Semiconductors and Affiliation: a Shallow Dive into the Small-Scale Mobile Phone Repair Sector
In Sri Lanka, the way telecommunication technologies have embedded themselves into people’s lives cannot be ignored. However, within this sector, the roles played by states and larger enterprises tend to overshadow ancillary roles played by people organised at smaller scales.
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Beyond Pomp and Pageantry: Looking at Public Markets as Lived Spaces
JUNE 7, 2023
Beyond Pomp and Pageantry: Looking at Public Markets as Lived Spaces
The reconfiguration of Colombo’s built environment and infrastructure has lasting consequences for the city’s food environment and people’s access to affordable fresh produce. This article discusses how public markets are more than the building in which its activities take place.
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New Platform Initiated for Sri Lankan Young Professionals in Public Policy
MAY 16, 2023
New Platform Initiated for Sri Lankan Young Professionals in Public Policy
Emerging Sri Lankan public policy leaders have come together to form the country’s first platform for professional development and networking towards advancing better public policy capabilities. The Young Professionals in Public Policy (YPPP) was launched in May 2023, and is an initiative of the Centre for a Smart Future. The YPPP is much more reflective of the contemporary public policy space in Sri Lanka.
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Breaking Point: Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on Colombo’s Working Class Poor
APRIL 7, 2023
Breaking Point: Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on Colombo’s Working Class Poor
The economic crisis in Colombo has significantly impacted the working class poor, who were already struggling due to lockdowns and loss of daily wage work. The April 2023 policy brief updates the situation, discussing electricity tariff hikes, Welfare Benefits Board enumeration, and recommendations for State and policy support.
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Valuing the Catch of the Day: Towards a more Humanised Food Value Chain
MARCH 14, 2023
Valuing the Catch of the Day: Towards a more Humanised Food Value Chain
An article on the pricing of fish in Colombo, exploring more into the function and capacity of the markets to coordinate the movement of seafood from the ocean to our plates using price mechanism and relationships.
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New Publication: ‘Debt for Nature Swaps’ Knowledge Primer
MARCH 13, 2023
New Publication: ‘Debt for Nature Swaps’ Knowledge Primer
A new paper under CSF’s Natural Capital Forum explores a sovereign financing instrument linked to nature called Debt for nature swaps (DFNS), their usage globally and relevance to Sri Lanka in overcoming the debt crisis and fiscal constraints to conservation.
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Is Gig Work in Sri Lanka Enabling Female Participation in the Workforce?
JANUARY 26, 2023
Is Gig Work in Sri Lanka Enabling Female Participation in the Workforce?
A recent survey in Sri Lanka shows that relatively less women were engaged in gig economy work despite its relative flexibility, equal pay opportunities, and low barriers to entry. This article explores some of the drivers and issues.
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Is Gig Work in Sri Lanka Enabling Female Participation in the Workforce?
JANUARY 26, 2023
Is Gig Work in Sri Lanka Enabling Female Participation in the Workforce?
A recent survey in Sri Lanka shows that relatively less women were engaged in gig economy work despite its relative flexibility, equal pay opportunities, and low barriers to entry. This article explores some of the drivers and issues.
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Is Gig Work Really Part-time in Sri Lanka?: Findings from a Survey
JANUARY 13, 2023
Is Gig Work Really Part-time in Sri Lanka?: Findings from a Survey
Despite the perception that gig work is largely part-time, our recent survey finds that most workers in location-based gig work actually work full-time on the platforms. Yet, they are typically not recognised as ‘employees’.
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Is Gig Work Really Part-time in Sri Lanka?: Findings from a Survey
JANUARY 13, 2023
Is Gig Work Really Part-time in Sri Lanka?: Findings from a Survey
Despite the perception that gig work is largely part-time, our recent survey finds that most workers in location-based gig work actually work full-time on the platforms. Yet, they are typically not recognised as ‘employees’.
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Chasing Efficiency While Leaving the Vulnerable to Their Own Devices
JANUARY 9, 2023
Chasing Efficiency While Leaving the Vulnerable to Their Own Devices
Solving issues related to people’s capacities to access infrastructure requires a more grounded approach that’s sensitive to understanding the variety of contexts in which people live, and not only counting and accounting revenue generated, costs incurred, and average monthly incomes.
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Opinion: ‘Trimming the Fat’ in Sri Lanka’s Enterprise-support Institutions
JANUARY 3, 2023
Opinion: ‘Trimming the Fat’ in Sri Lanka’s Enterprise-support Institutions
Sri Lanka must consolidate its enterprise-support agencies into one single agency, that is smaller, sharper, and with a clear and unambiguous mandate - to improve SME competitiveness towards creating more export-ready and near export-ready firms. The need of the hour is not generic SME development and enterprise support initiatives.
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Why Moving Beyond GDP is Essential to Avert Planetary Disaster
NOVEMBER 16, 2022
Why Moving Beyond GDP is Essential to Avert Planetary Disaster
Moving beyond GDP and focusing on ‘green growth’ could unlock a host of new opportunities such as job creation, restoration of natural capital, and increased climate adaptation. Policymakers must explore alternatives to GDP to anchor Sri Lanka’s recovery from the economic crisis.
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LSE Event on ‘Looking Ahead in Sri Lanka’: Four Priorities for the Near-term
NOVEMBER 3, 2022
LSE Event on ‘Looking Ahead in Sri Lanka’: Four Priorities for the Near-term
CSF Co-founder Anushka Wijesinha was recently invited by the London School of Economics South Asia Centre to speak at a forum on 'Looking Ahead in Sri Lanka', alongside four eminent panelists. Here is a recap of his key points.
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How Can Sri Lanka Improve Gender Considerations in its Trade Agreements?
OCTOBER 15, 2022
How Can Sri Lanka Improve Gender Considerations in its Trade Agreements?
CSF Visiting Fellow Dr Janaka Wijayasiri argues that as the country begins to explore FTAs once again, it is timely to consider mainstreaming gender into Sri Lanka's trade policy and trade agreements taking into the gender inequality in the country.
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New Working Paper Released: ‘Sri Lanka – Singapore FTA Four Years On’
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
New Working Paper Released: ‘Sri Lanka – Singapore FTA Four Years On’
This Working Paper reviews bilateral trade performance, explains some of the key domestic economic policy contexts during and after the FTA was signed, discusses some of the key issues that emerged, and takes an initial look at prospects.
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Food for Thought: Rethinking Home Gardening and Subsistence Agriculture
SEPTEMBER 19, 2022
Food for Thought: Rethinking Home Gardening and Subsistence Agriculture
Home gardening has gained popularity as a solution to food insecurity in Colombo. The Minister of Agriculture encouraged public to grow food in their gardens, but this doesn't completely eradicate the issue. More targeted support is needed for communities without space or resources. Recommendations based on empirical evidence are provided to help increase dietary diversity and reduce food insecurity impact.
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Are Marine Conservation and Sri Lanka’s Maritime Hub Ambitions Compatible?
AUGUST 31, 2022
Are Marine Conservation and Sri Lanka’s Maritime Hub Ambitions Compatible?
Nishan Perera - Sri Lanka's leading marine ecologist, an avid diver and underwater photographer - argues that contradictory policies are hurting our prospects for striking a smarter balance between marine conservation and maritime-related economics activities like fisheries and tourism.
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Is Economic Valuation of Biodiversity Necessary for Successful Conservation?
AUGUST 22, 2022
Is Economic Valuation of Biodiversity Necessary for Successful Conservation?
The debate on whether biodiversity should be economically valued remains highly polarized and a more nuanced contextual approach is required. Yet, it's clear that striking a balance between environmental, social and economic objectives is vital.
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Debt or Disconnection: Prioritising Energy Justice in Economic Recovery
AUGUST 18, 2022
Debt or Disconnection: Prioritising Energy Justice in Economic Recovery
The article examines the proposed electricity tariff revision from the perspective of the urban poor in Colombo, arguing it fails to account for financial pressures and changes in electricity usage, and offers recommendations for energy justice.
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Changing How We Think About Economic Growth and Nature
AUGUST 13, 2022
Changing How We Think About Economic Growth and Nature
The fact that the creation of a 269 hectare artificial land parcel attached to the capital, with sand extracted from nature, materially changed the country’s GDP base was startling. It reaffirmed our growing discontent on how we measure economic growth.
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Sri Lanka Must Use GSP Plus for Smarter Positioning on Sustainability
AUGUST 10, 2022
Sri Lanka Must Use GSP Plus for Smarter Positioning on Sustainability
In this interview in the Smarter Sustainability series, Anisha Rajapakse explores key issues for Sri Lanka in strengthening its positioning as a trusted and preferred sourcing location for EU buyers, using GSP+ and beyond.
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Sri Lanka: Anatomy of a Crisis and the Path Ahead
AUGUST 10, 2022
Sri Lanka: Anatomy of a Crisis and the Path Ahead
This article serves to provide an international reader with a more useful reference point for the recent origins, evolution, and dimensions of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, and selected perspectives on the policy issues and path ahead, from an economist’s perspective.
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Debt or Disconnection: CEB’s Tariff Hikes and the Urban Poor
AUGUST 7, 2022
Debt or Disconnection: CEB’s Tariff Hikes and the Urban Poor
This article interrogates the proposed CEB electricity tariffs, and unpacks crucial equity considerations that have been missed in the public discourse. It argues that households’ diverse consumption patterns must be considered, alongside existing vulnerabilities like financial debt.
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Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on the Exports Sector
AUGUST 5, 2022
Impact of Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis on the Exports Sector
While steady growth in exports was recorded in the year 2021, Sri Lanka’s deepening economic crisis runs the serious risk of impacting the export recovery achieved to date. This article reviews some key data points and industry insights.
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Should Civil Service Reform and Public Finance Reform Go Together?
JUNE 18, 2022
Should Civil Service Reform and Public Finance Reform Go Together?
management came into focus alongside the economic crisis, we ask an international PFM expert whether PFM reform needs to be coupled with meaningful civil service reform for it to be truly impactful.
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Austerity and Vulnerability: Better Solutions to Support the Poor During Economic Crises
JUNE 2, 2022
Austerity and Vulnerability: Better Solutions to Support the Poor During Economic Crises
In this in-depth interview featuring key data points, Dr. Anila Dias Bandaranaike (a former senior Central Banker, and poverty data expert), speaks about the problems with our current approaches to social safety nets and her ideas for better solutions.
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New Working Paper Released: ‘Governance of Digital Technologies in South Asia’
MAY 19, 2022
New Working Paper Released: ‘Governance of Digital Technologies in South Asia’
This paper explores the status of digital governance in South Asia, with a specific focus on Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The research explores four major thematic areas - cybersecurity, data protection, artificial intelligence, and mis/disinformation.
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From Bad to Worse: Understanding and Supporting Colombo’s Urban Poor Families in Crisis
MAY 19, 2022
From Bad to Worse: Understanding and Supporting Colombo’s Urban Poor Families in Crisis
Researchers from the Colombo Urban Lab highlight the food insecurity faced by 72% of low-income households in Colombo, highlighting the worsening situation due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and economic crisis. They recommend universal support for relief, avoiding targeting to exacerbate community divisions.
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Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis is Hurting Education and Students’ Future Prospects
MAY 5, 2022
Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis is Hurting Education and Students’ Future Prospects
Amidst other economic reforms, the critical state of the education sector has received relatively less attention. Sri Lanka needs a comprehensive action plan that is student-centric, in order to help students and teachers manage the current crisis.
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Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis is Hurting Education and Students’ Future Prospects
MAY 5, 2022
Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis is Hurting Education and Students’ Future Prospects
Amidst other economic reforms, the critical state of the education sector has received relatively less attention. Sri Lanka needs a comprehensive action plan that is student-centric, in order to help students and teachers manage the current crisis.
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Sri Lanka needs a ‘sensible’ fiscal adjustment plan – CSF Co-Founder
APRIL 9, 2022
Sri Lanka needs a ‘sensible’ fiscal adjustment plan – CSF Co-Founder
CSF Co-Founder Anushka Wijesinha was interviewed by Andrea Sanke of the leading Turkish global news channel TRT World, on their show 'Newsmakers' to talk about the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, along with two other Sri Lankan experts.
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Sri Lanka’s political turmoil risks derailing the economy further
APRIL 9, 2022
Sri Lanka’s political turmoil risks derailing the economy further
The East Asia Forum, a joint initiative of the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research and the South Asian Bureau of Economic Research, reports on Sri Lanka's political turmoil, economic downturn, and potential sovereign debt default, highlighting the country's vulnerability to external shocks.
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Credit lines would provide temporary respite but sustainable solutions needed
MARCH 23, 2022
Credit lines would provide temporary respite but sustainable solutions needed
CSF Co-Founder Anushka Wijesinha was interviewed by Gargi Rawat of NDTV (India) to explain to an Indian audience the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka and what the prospects are in the near-term.
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Making Sri Lanka’s Technology Transition More Inclusive
FEBRUARY 5, 2022
Making Sri Lanka’s Technology Transition More Inclusive
Sri Lanka needs to focus on enhancing technology access, usage, and literacy across the board, to help workers be better prepared for jobs in the technology sector. Without it, Sri Lanka’s ambitions for digital-led development will leave youth behind.
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Budget Makers for the Country Must Listen to the Budget Makers of the Home
DECEMBER 1, 2021
Budget Makers for the Country Must Listen to the Budget Makers of the Home
Since the lockdown in March 2020, discussions with working-class poor communities in Colombo have primarily focused on budgets and prioritizing expenditure based on needs and income. The challenge is to transform these struggles into experiences where needs can be met with well-funded institutions.
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Housing in a Pandemic: Need for New Methods of Engagement
OCTOBER 20, 2021
Housing in a Pandemic: Need for New Methods of Engagement
The COVID pandemic has highlighted the importance of safe environments and the rights of everyone, including access to trees, gardens, and children's playtime. Advocacy must use data and intersections to make points clear, even in court, and translate intangible aspects into comprehensible language for policymakers.
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Attracting Good FDI Starts with Designing Good Incentives Regimes
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
Attracting Good FDI Starts with Designing Good Incentives Regimes
In this interview, former Deloitte consultant Danindu Udalamaththa outlines some key areas for Sri Lanka to focus on in designing good incentives frameworks to attract good quality foreign direct investment.
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Solving SME Development Challenges: Looking Beyond Easy Loan Schemes
SEPTEMBER 12, 2021
Solving SME Development Challenges: Looking Beyond Easy Loan Schemes
In this interview with finance and investment specialist Sharini Kulasinghe, we explore some new perspectives on solving SME development challenges (especially SME access to finance), going beyond the conventional wisdom.
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Shift to Organic Agriculture Must be Staged and Strategic
SEPTEMBER 11, 2021
Shift to Organic Agriculture Must be Staged and Strategic
Sri Lanka's President has announced a policy directive to transition to 100% organic farming and ban chemical fertilizers and agro-chemicals. The decision has sparked debate, with concerns about food security and export impacts. Agriculture economist Chatura Rodrigo discusses the transition, implications for farmers, and policy gaps.
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Involuntary Resettlement in Sri Lanka – Urgent Need for Reform
AUGUST 14, 2021
Involuntary Resettlement in Sri Lanka – Urgent Need for Reform
Dispossession can have generational impacts on communities, causing loss of home, land, livelihood, and way of life. Involuntary resettlement is not fair, and it's crucial to ensure communities are not worse off post relocation.
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GLOBAL VOICES: Interview with Leonora Milan, Mexico’s Leading Young Science Communicator
AUGUST 8, 2021
GLOBAL VOICES: Interview with Leonora Milan, Mexico’s Leading Young Science Communicator
Leonora Milan, Mexico’s leading science communicator, shares her thoughts on the shape of the public debates on science, climate change, environmental issues, and policy in Mexico, as part of CSF’s 'Global Voices' series.
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SIGNALS OF CHANGE: Three Emerging Post-Covid Trends for Sri Lanka’s Apparel Sector
JULY 28, 2021
SIGNALS OF CHANGE: Three Emerging Post-Covid Trends for Sri Lanka’s Apparel Sector
Sri Lanka’s apparel industry – a significant export revenue earner and employer – was substantially hit by the pandemic. Moving from recovery to resilience and a new phase of growth will be shaped by three key trends.
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Fiscal Constraints Amidst COVID-19: Sri Lanka on Red Notice for Tax Reform
JULY 27, 2021
Fiscal Constraints Amidst COVID-19: Sri Lanka on Red Notice for Tax Reform
COVID-19 caused severe economic challenges worldwide, including a negative 3.6% growth in Sri Lanka in 2020. A lockdown by the government led to a drop in economic activity and job losses. The government intervened by providing limited stimulus, including cash transfers and low-interest loans, and investing heavily in infrastructure development to help the economy rebound.
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Refreshing Growth in Sri Lanka’s Provinces: Changing the Narrative
JUNE 4, 2021
Refreshing Growth in Sri Lanka’s Provinces: Changing the Narrative
CSF Visiting Fellow Dr Janaka Wijayasiri argues that as the country begins to explore FTAs once again, it is timely to consider mainstreaming gender into Sri Lanka's trade policy and trade agreements taking into the gender inequality in the country.
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SIGNALS OF CHANGE: Can Blockchain Solve Trade Finance Bottlenecks?
JUNE 4, 2021
SIGNALS OF CHANGE: Can Blockchain Solve Trade Finance Bottlenecks?
Trade finance is currently full of inefficiencies, and access to trade finance has proved to be a continual challenge for SME exporters. The industry is ripe for disruption, and blockchain is proving to be a key source of disruptive innovation.
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