I am pleased to pen this message of greetings on the occasion of the World Environment Day, marked on June 5 every year, which aims at enhancing the awareness among the people on the importance of protecting the environment and drawing attention of the policymakers to environmental issues.
All creatures including the human have an unbreakable bond with the environment. The longstanding deep relationship nurtured by the Sri Lankan community since ancient times with the environment paved the way to enrich our daily life. The necessity to pass on, our age old knowledge of all aspects of the nature to our future generations, as well as to enhance their knowledge regarding the present environmental issues, is felt much more strongly at present than any other time in the history.
The various environmental issues such as floods, landslides, melting of glaciers, air pollution, global warming and climate change that have become formidable threats to the humans are direct results of our own hapha zard activities. Destructions caused to the nature will inevitably affect the survival of the humankind. I see the global crisis erupted due to COVID - 19 pandemic as an occasion which undeniably teaches the humans of the importance of environmental conservation.
The necessity of a sustainable environmental strategy has been identified in ,,Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour", the policy statement. Measures will be taken in the future to make environmental protection initiatives mentioned therein such as land management, preserving of biodiversity, increase national forest cover, scientific waste management and eco-friendly human settlements and cities into reality.
I wish the World Environment Day celebrations in Sri Lanka held under the theme 'Biodiversity - Spaces for Nature' every success.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, June, 04,2020