Integrated multi-sector planning for nature and community resilience in conflict affected Northern Sri Lanka

This presentation covers the lessons that emerged during the development and implementation of the Integrated Strategic Environment Assessment for the Northern Province (ISEA-North) that was developed to mainstream environment... [ view full abstract ]

This presentation covers the lessons that emerged during the development and implementation of the Integrated Strategic Environment Assessment for the Northern Province (ISEA-North) that was developed to mainstream environment sustainability and disaster resilience to the post-conflict development. The ISEA-North assessment and land use decision process, that started immediately after the ending of a 30-year armed conflict, in November 2009, provided a robust framework to improve the resilience of the communities to avoid potential disaster risks including climate change and government agencies to use the natural resources in a sustainable way for the rebuilding process. The ISEA-North was completed in 2010 with the participation of over 25 Government Agencies and included data generation and compilation on natural resources; compilation of proposed infrastructure and other development plans; and prioritization of land uses to "build back better” by saying “yes” to development, but with adequate environmental safeguards. Five years after the implementation of the ISEA-North in Sri Lanka, UN Environment and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Sri Lanka Country Office collaborated to document lessons from the ISEA-North exercise and assess its outcomes and impacts to promote greater uptake of the ISEA experience within Sri Lanka and internationally. The  “Opportunity Map” that identified areas for development without ecological or disaser constraints, was used extensively by national agencies for declaring archaeological sites, national parks, locations of resettlements and planning for urban centers. Constraints to mainstream ISEA was identified as the political interests contradicting ISEA recommendations and lack of continued resources, engagement and capacity building. However, the approaches used in the ISEA-North were proven extremely useful for SEA processes in the country, i.e., Western Region Megapolis Planning; and Sustainable Cities Project by the World Bank for Jaffna and Kandy cities and internationally in post-conflict Cote’ de Var and earthquake affected Nepal.