About the Project

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process introduced by the National Environmental Act, No. 56 of 1988 is one of the key regulatory tools available to assess and plan to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts that could incur as a result of the implementation of proposed projects. EIA requires public participation throughout the project development process, yet public comments on development projects are seldom received due to the lack of awareness of the process. This poor public participation in the EIA process has been recognized by many and as a result, there is a dire need to improve public participation in the EIA process.

The main focus of the project is twofold.

• Phase one of the project will engage in research, meeting with the government officials and other stakeholders, and preparation of a Gap Analysis on the legal, policy, and implementation issues.
• Phase two of the project will consist of looking into the latest international developments, best practices and public participation and suggesting reforms to the EIA procedure in Sri Lanka.

As a result of the review and research, the project will create an active ongoing dialogue on the lack of public participation in the EIA process. Consequently, it will ensure that public participation in the EIA process is carried out more efficiently and effectively, thereby protecting the rights of the people of Sri Lanka.