National Climate Change Data Sharing Network Sri Lanka - NCC DSN

NCC-DSN

NCC DSN gather and share data and information related to climate change adaptation and mitigation, which will be useful for wide range of stakeholders such as policy makers, actuarial analysts, government agencies, private sector, international donors, researchers, etc.

About Us

Sri Lanka’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represent less than 0.1% of global emissions and per capita emissions are far below the global average. However, the Sri Lankan government recognizes that in order to decrease the emissions growth expected to take place in the country in the coming decades, and ensure sustainable development and economic growth, drastic and coherent policy transformation & measures which leapfrogs conventional carbonintensive trajectories is necessary.
Sri Lanka needs to a strong web based national climate change data sharing network, its institutional, legal and technical framework to gather, review, analyze and generate solutions on climate change mitigation and adaptation, among others, to: (a) assess the rapid changes of climate impacts in the country; (b) identify risk and vulnerability due to adverse impacts of climate change in various sectors; (c) assess national, provincial and local level adaptation measures implemented; (d) estimate levels of GHG emissions and removals in the country; assess the progress of mitigation actions and NDCs achievements; (e) monitor the progress of projects and to fulfill the periodic international reporting requirements; (f) analyze the most recent developments; and (g) apply for necessary international climate finance facilities to implement national and regional level climate change adaptation and mitigation actions; (h) facilitate for the preparation of Biannual Update Reports (BUR), Biannual Transparency Reports (BTR), National Communications (NCs); (i) assess vulnerability to climate change; (j) develop climate finance proposals; (k) conduct research on climate change data; (l) assess the progress of achieving NDCs targets on achievement of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); (m) assess the progress of achieving NDCs targets on achievement of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); (n) facilitate the development of strong climate change policies; (o) help reducing the cost of meeting the NDC; (p) support new CPIs by reducing the cost of meeting the targets under those CPIs; (q) provide an opportunity to leverage international results-based climate finance (RBCF); and (r) enhance Sri Lanka’s readiness to participate in emerging international market mechanisms under the Paris Agreement.

Climate

  • Climate in a narrow sense is usually defined as the average weather, or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years.
  • The classical period for averaging these variables is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization.
  • The relevant quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation and wind.
  • Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical description, of the climate system. (IPCC,2018)

Climate Change

‘A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.’ (UNFCC -2011)

Mitigation (of climate change)

A human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. (IPCC,2018)

Adaptation

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects. (IPCC,2018)

Climate Resilience

The capacity of social, economic and environmental systems to cope with a hazardous event or trend or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in ways that maintain their essential function, identity and structure while also maintaining the capacity for adaptation, learning and transformation.

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Vulnerability to Climate Change

Sri Lanka, a country which is highly vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and has lower greenhouse gas emission levels. Sri Lanka was ranked in 4th, 2nd and 6th positions as one of the most vulnerable countries in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. About 74 percent of disasters took place between 1990 - 2018 due to adverse impacts of climate change, such as floods, landslides, storms, and drought. Damage due to flooding between 1990 - 2018 was estimated over USD 2 billion and half of which occurred in 2016.

HISTORICAL CLIMATE

Climate trends include:

  • Increase in mean annual temperature of 0.2°C per decade between 1961 and 1990.
  • Increase in mean daytime maximum temperatures of 1°C between 1961 and 2001.
  • Increase in mean nighttime minimum temperatures of 0.7°C between 1961 and 2001.
  • Decrease in island-wide mean annual precipitation of 144 mm between 1961 and 1990.
  • Increase in frequency and intensity of floods.
  • Increase in frequency and intensity of droughts.
  • Uncertain rates of sea level rise around Sri Lanka, specifically, but accelerated rates across Asia with increases of 3.1 mm per year from 1993 – 2003, compared to 1.7 mm to 2.4 mm per year for the 20th century.

FUTURE CLIMATE

Projected changes include:

  • Increase in mean annual temperature of between 0.8°C and 2°C by 2060.
  • Increase in both daily maximum and minimum temperatures of between 0.7°C and 0.8°C by 2050.
  • Projections of change in precipitation vary, with some predicting decreases and some increases, but generally indicate an increase in variability and extreme events.
  • Increase in cyclone frequency and intensity.
  • Increased frequency and severity of floods, drought incidence, and landslides.
  • Total sea level rise of between 0.2 and 0.6 meters by mid-century, compared to 1971-2010 levels
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Importance of Climate change data

  • Identify risk and vulnerability due to adverse impacts of climate change in various sectors
  • Assess national, provincial and local level adaptation measures implemented
  • Estimate levels of GHG emissions and removals in the country
  • Assess the progress of mitigation actions and NDCs achievements
  • Monitor the progress of projects and to fulfill the periodic international reporting requirements

Contact Us

  • "Sobadam Piyasa",416/C/1, Robert Gunawardana Mawatha, Battaramulla. Sri Lanka.