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U N DP/SRU79/046
Terminal Report SRI LANKA

Programme for Public Awareness

of Environmental Protection
and Management

Project Findings
and
Recommendations

Serial No.:FMWED/STE387/275(UNDP)

United Nations Educational, United Nations

Scientific and Development
Cu Itural Organization Programme
Paris, 1987
 S R I L A N K A

PROGRAMME FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS

OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND
MANAGEMENT

Project Findings and Recommendations

Report prepared for the Government

of the Democratic Socialist Republic
of Sri Lanka by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
'

Organization (Unesco) acting as

Executing Agency for the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Educational, United Nations

Scientific and Cultural Development
Organization Programme
UNDP/SRL/79/046 t
Terminal Report
FMR/ED/STE/87/275 (UNDP)
31 October 1987

@ Unesco 1987
Printed in France
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGES

I. INTRODUCTION 1

Background and justification

Development objective
Immediate objectives

11. ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS 3

111. CONCLUSIONS 7
APPENDICES

A - Consultants 11
B - National Staff 12
C - List of Study Tours awarded 13
D - Publication and Viedo Film teams 14

E - List of equirnent purchased under the

Unesco/UNDP/CEA project on public awareness 15
 SRL/79/046 - Programme for Public Awareness of Environmental Protection and
Manag ement

Terminal Report

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The programme was basically a component part of the five-year strategy

prepared in 1982 by the Sri Lanka Central Environmental Authority (CEA), which
regarded environmental awareness as one of three priority areas among eight
future lines of action. The project proposal for a progamme lasting one year
and six months was duly submitted to the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) for approval in May 1982 and was signed by the CEA, as the Implementing
Agency for the Sri Lanka Government on 22 July 1983 and by Unesco, as the
Executing Agency, and UNDP on 22 August 1983. At a later stage, upon the
recommendation of the' two consultants, it was decided that the project should be
substantially revised and extended to 1985 without extra cost. This revision (D)
was signed by the CEA on 2 November 1984 and by Unesco and UNDP on 10 January
1985.

2. The Government provided the premises to house the project, including

furniture and office equipment, and covered related miscellaneous expenses
(local travel and running expenses). It also recruited the national staff and
covered their salaries and allowances.

3. Unesco and UNDP provided the services of the international consultants,

organized the study tours and testing and training activities including the
National Seminar. It supplied equipment including audio-visual materials and
ensured the successful implementation of the Communication Package.

Backnround and justification

4. Since environment is a matter that involves us all, the project should be

understood as an effort made by the Government of Sri Lanka to support the
General Assembly's emphasis on environmental protection and management.

5. No amount of environmental legislation, policy formulation or imaginative

schemes can succeed, however, without active participation and support at all
levels of implementation of designed activities through public co-operation and
assistance.
. 6. The CEsl was established to formulate policies and co-ordinate ministries,
departments and authorities in government whose activities in one way or'another
would determine the shape of Sri Lanka's environment in the future. Specific
responsibilities of the Authority as defined in the National Environment Act are
as follows :

(a) To recommend to the Government, national environmental policy and

criteria for the protection and management of the environment.

(b) To undertake surveys and investigations as to the causes, nature,

extent and prevention of pollution and to assist and co-operate
with others in carrying out similar surveys or investigations.
 - 2 -

(c) To conduct, provide and co-ordinate research in relation to any

aspect of environmental degradation.

(d) To specify standards, norms and criteria for the protection of

beneficial uses and for maintaining the quality of the
environment.

(e) To publish reports and information with respect to any aspect of

environmental protection and management. 4
L'

(f) To provide information and education to the public regarding

protection and improvement of the environment.

(8) To establish liaison with other countries and international

organizations with respect to environmental protection and
management.

7. Sir Lanka, in fact, has two major advantages over many developing
countries for achieving success in a public awareness programme :-

(i) the population is highly literate. The report of the Central Bank
of Ceylon on Economic and Social Statistics, 1980, indicates a
literacy rate of 79 per cent, and a primary school enrolment ratio
of 80 per cent;

(ii) institutions of many types for disseminating information exist:

they are widespread, organized and influential. Examples are :
the extension centres, agrarian services, educational training
centres, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

8. The project included a sub-contract with the Sri Lanka Institute of

Development Administration (SLIDA) , whereby that body would introduce the use
of tested training curricula and media materials within the five-year strategy.
In particular, the SLIDA was required to :-

(i) develop training curricula following guidelines prepared to CEA

external advisers and adapt them to national conditions and
specific environmental problem areas identified by the CEA;

(ii) conduct a two-week training course for ten people selected by

the CEA to test the curricula developed and modify the courses r
as appropriate, depending on results;

(iii) supervise the field-testing of environmental awareness training

materials designed by the CEA and used during the course;

(iv) provide the CEA with ten copies of the final revised curricula and
an appropriate number of the tested and revised public awareness
training materials in the three official languages;

(v) on the basis of guidelines provided by the CEA, pursue the five-
year strategy for using the tested training curricula and
 - 3 -

environmental.awarenessmaterials with District Environmental

Agencies (DEAs), schools and local-level training centres,
agrarian services, educational training centres and NGOs;

(vi) prepare a position paper for the National Seminar on the

activities carried out.

9. However, it soon became clear that there was a total lack of physical
communication machinery in this field and therefore that the preparation and
production of relevant media material was an urgent necessity. The information
received in response to the CEA questionnaire prepared by the consultants for
the DEAs further revealed the need for a multi-media approach that,would combine
a global inpact with conceptual learning.

10. The sub-contract was therefore replaced by a properly designed

Communication Package to produce environmental publications for schools,
posters, a series of slides and video films. The CEA was made solely responsible
for the pursuit of the project.

Development objec.tive

11. The long-term goal of the Government of Sri Lanka was to promote
harmonious economic development while protecting and managing the environment.

Immediate objectives

12. The immediate objectives were to provide a foundation on which the public
might be sensitised to the importance of environmental protection and management
in achieving the national objective of economic growth -
to improve the
capability of the Central Environmental Authority to pursue a programme of
public awareness for environmental protection and management.

11. ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS

13. The first activity of the project was the establishemant of the Steering
Committee to formulate policies and co-ordinate ministries, government
departments and authorities whose activities in one way or another would
determine the shape of Sri Lanka's environment in the future.

. (i) The Committee was composed of representatives from the Ministries

of Education, State, Local Government, Housing and Construction,
' Lands and Land Development, Health, Fisheries and Power and Energy,
the Unesco Commission and UNDP.

(ii) At the first meeting, representatives from the Ministry of .

Agricultural Development and Research, the Plantation Industry,

the Janatha Estates Development and State Plantations were
coopted as members on account of their relevance to Sri Lanka's
environmental programmes.

&ii> It was also decided that the Gramodaya Mandalayas (village-level

local administrations) should be involved in the awareness programme.
 - 4 -

14. The task of the Steering Committee was to guide the overall implementation
of the project and to monitor its progress. As its members represented
different agencies, it was hoped that a wide range of knowledge and experience
would be provided from the many sectors involved in environmental protection
and management. It was expected that the Committee would provide sectoral
knowledge and experience on approaches for contacting the public, serve as a
focal point for liaison with other officials within their respective ministries,
agencies or organizations and open channels to assist the CEA in disseminating
information.

15. - In particular, the Committee was to :-

- guide the CEA staff in identifying and presenting district-based

environmental management problems or other appropriate environmental
conditions specific to a region, watershed or site, etc.;
- identify environmental awareness activities currently underway and
evaluate their effectiveness for use by the project;

- identify resources and institutions. Committee members were

expected to help the CEA to obtain information from their own
organizations on available resources and persons who might be
of assistance to the project.

The Steering Committee was to review and comment on the results of the external
advisers' work. Five Committee meetings were held with a view to carrying out
these tasks.

16. The project included three study tours in the Asian Pacific region in
order to obtain possible information on environmental awareness activities
underway in southern Asian countries. It was expected that the study tours
would also provide an opportunity to gain experience of working with international
counterparts, making contacts for further information and exchange, broadening
perception of environmental management and protection and building confidence
based on wider knowledge. The countries visited were Malaysia, Singapore, the
Philippines and Indonesia .

17. Three environmental promotion officers benefited from the study tours
which were undertaken in January and February 1984. Two officers toured Malaysia,
the Philippines and Singapore, while the third toured the Philippines, Singapore
and Indonesia. All three officers spent one week in each country. The tours z
were organized by the CFA with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Missions and
Environmental Agencies in the countries concerned.
4

. 18. This venture proved very valuable as a means of collecting data on

successful techniques that might be adopted to improve the public awareness
programme. The officers were able to interview those responsible for the
planning, development, implementation and promotion of programmes for
environmental management and protection and to collect details of the programmes
for purposes of comparison.
 - 5 -

19. Information on institutional structures, the success and failure of

programmes, implementation strategies and so on was likewise amassed together
with all available literature on the subject.

20. Under the project revision (D) two study tours were made available for
senior management officials of the CEA, who required experience in designing a
media package on environment, preparing training curricula, etc.. These tours
were undertaken by two CEA directors who visited Japan, Thailand, the
Philippines and Malaysia.

21. In order to help the CEA to evolve a useful and practical programme, a
questionnaire, compiled by the consultants, was sent to all 25 districts to
obtain basic information on local environmental problems, the situation as
compared with five years ago and the resources available to undertaken an
awareness campaign.

22. The questionnaire was addressed to the DEAs, the sub-national administra-
tive units which regularly implement CEA activities and was field-tested in
three districts. It was also reviewed by over 20 persons who were knowledgeable
in environmental matters so that a viable plan might be drawn up.

23. Although all 25 districts were approached only 18 responded. On the basis
ot the findings of the survey, deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution,
problems of solid waste management and industrial pollution were selected as
priority areas for media concentration. It was essential that small tea
plantation holders with lands in the hill country where most of the rivers rise,
be educated and given financial support to offset the dangers of widespread water
pollution. Another danger was the erosion of upland areas due to the need for
firewood, which in turn could lead to erosion and the silting of downstream
channels and reservoirs, causing floods, poor water quality, loss of fishing
grounds and depreciation of the aesthetic value of lakes in tourist areas.

24. Before ending their mission the consultants completed a curriculum plan
as well as the media package design required for the project revision (D).

25. Most of the UNDP equipment, including audio-visual materials, was

received during this period. The fact that it was procured locally greatly
facilitated immediate delivery and use. This meant that the public awareness
campaign could be initiated through the mass media: radio, television,
newspapers.
26. A training seminar was organized for the NGOs from 12-16 November 1984 on
the theme: "The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Environmental Protection
and Management". It was attended by 37 delegates at the national and local
level; The specific topics discussed included forestry, water resources, land
use , health, population growth, human settlements, wildlife, industrialization,
coastal zone management and mass media.

27. A media cell on Environment and Development was formed after the seminar
for media staff working on the environmental programme.
28. 1nformation.leafletswere prepared and published on three topics: Trees,
Water and Pesticides, and radio talks were organized on a regular basis. These
subjects were selected in line with DEA responses to the questionnaire.

29. The CEA also issued a monthly newsletter, which was circulated to libraries,
DEAs, members of the recently formed Environmental Congress and NGOs in general.

30. The National Seminar envisaged in the project document was held from 10 to
15 March 1985 for purposes of extending knowledge and awareness among key
officials of the DEAs, who made up the local operating aim of the CEA, or rather
developed and implemented government strategies for the protection and management
of the environment in Sri Lanka.

31. The National Seminar reflected the priorities revealed by the questionnaire
and combined a variety of training methodologies ranging from lectures, panel
discussions and group work to slide presentation and film shows. The leading
topics were Conservation and Management of Forests, Use and Abuse of Water,
Urbanization and Industrial Development, Environmental Pollution, Environment
and Development, Formal Environmental Education. The subjects chosen for group
discussions covered the implementation of an environmental management plan and
district-level and community participation in solving general problems and also
the extension of environmental awareness at every local level.

'32. A plan of action for environmental protection andmanagement was adopted

by the participants. All 25 districts were represented, by DEA officials and
by members of other related bodies concerned with Mandalaya education, small
industries, agrarian services, textile industries, rural development and
fisheries, as well as the Gramodaya Mandayayas, the Pradeshiya Mandalayas and
the NGOs. Media experts also-attended.

33. As part of the Comunication Package and with the assistance of the
Curriculum Development Centre and the Ministry of Education, the CEA prepared
two publications to highlight identified environmental issues. The publications
concentrate on the subject of deforestation and aim at creating an awareness of
this problem, especially among school children of the 12 to 14 age group.

34- The officers nominated by the Ministry of Education and the CEA project
staff have since been engaged in the preparation of supplementary materials on
environmental education.

35.. Each of the readers, "Surakiya Ybthu Wana Sampatha" and "Wanaye Asiriya"
were printed in 25,000 copies and the "Teachers' Guide" in 10,000 copies. They
will be distributed throughout the island so that the Teachers' Guide, in
particular, may prove useful to students as well as to teaching staff in field
environmental activities. Both publications were presented to His Excellency,
the President of Sri Lanka, and to the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers.

36. The media package likewise contemplated a poster competition and a

selection of three winning designs for printing. The CEA duly launched the
compet.ition with a view to stimulating awareness of environmental issues so
that it would coincide with World Environment Day, 5 June 1985. Finally, five
posters were selected, not three, and each was printed in 10,000 copies. Five
thousand copies were printed in the Tamil medium.
 - 7 -

37. The posters were distributed to all the schools and to government agents,
ass.istant government agents, assistant commissioners for local government, urban
councils, municipal councils, Pradeshiya Mandalayas, Gramodaya Mandalayas,
district development councils, Grawaseva officers and special services officers
in order to ensure the success of the awareness campaign.

38. In addition, 1,000 posters were mounted and distributed to government

agents, assistant government agents, assistant commissioners of local government,
all the departments and authorities under the Ministry of Local Government,
Housing and Construction, non-governmental organizations, universities and other
institutions to meet the project objectives.

39. The preparation of the series of slides began in August 1985 with the
approval and local purchase of a camera. About 200 slides were ready the same
year and more were to be mounted and classified according to theme.

40. The work envisaged under the project in respect of the preparation of a
video film was completed in March 1986. The production team was composed of an
officer from the Curriculum Development Centre of the Ministry of Education and
the CEA project staff .

41. Although several script-writers from the Curriculum Development Centre were
commissioned, only one text was deemed satisfactory. The subject chosen was
Water Pollution and the team worked with a video crew from the Ministry of Local
Government, Housing and Construction.

42. The plans for screening included distribution by the National Television
Network and showings at small gatherings such as meetings and seminars and in
the schools to create environmental awareness among the general public as well as
the students.

43. The writers of the educational publications and the script-writers, who
belonged to the Curriculum Development Centre of the Ministry of Education, and
the members of the video crew from the Urban Development Authority and the
Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Construction worked as part-time
officers.

111. CONCLUSIONS

44. The capabilities of the Central Environmental Authority were undoubtedly

strengthened and improved as the organization was able to work in closer
co-operation with the District Environmental Agencies, which ensured a direct
link with those in charge at the local level and those responsible for
conducting information campaigns in the villages.

45. Furthermore, by assuming sole responsibility for co-ordinating environmental

policies as a result of the pro,ject revision (D), the CEA contributed to the long-
term goal of the Sri Lanka Governemnt to further harmonious economic development
while projecting and managing the environment.
46. The establishment of the Steering Committee provided the institutional link
between the Government and the United Nations Agencies and non-governmental
 - 8 -

organizations. As a result, the project was able to sensitize a wider public,

comprising media staff, government decision-makers and the younger generation
in schools to matters of environmental protection and management.

47. The training and-experience acquired through the study tours laid the
bases for future planning, where programmes and choice of equipment were
concerned, and helped to generate enthusiasm as all members remained with the
project. This also enabled the CEA to evaluate Sri Lanka's relevance when the
awareness campaign was implemented. The corpus of information collected was of
\
valuable use in preparing the leaflets and brochures and other media materials
and constitutes a stock that should be built up in the future.

48. The questionnaire conducted by the consultants helped the CEA to identify
certain priority areas of the environment for media .focus and concentration in
the Communication Package.

49. These aspects were later raised at the National Seminar, which served as
a catalysis for further co-ordinated action.

50. Meanwhile, the mass awareness generated by the training activities in the
districts, A i c h had been greatly facilitated by the audio-visual equipment
procured under the project, enabled the non-governmental organizations concerned
with environmental protection to establish an apex body of their own, the
Sri Lanka Environmental Congress. In all, 40 organizations, such as the March
for Conservation, Environmental Foundation Ltd., "Ruk Rekaganno", Nation Builders
and so on, grouped together to form the Congress, which is now pursuing its
action.

51. The media cell set up on the basis of the results of the questionnaire
seems likely to continue its regular activities.

52. It soon became clear that the preparation of the Communication Package
had achieved its purpose of producing a sharper and quicker impact on a wider
population. Public awareness of environmental education had clearly improved
as a result and the project has since penetrated student and youth communities.

53. Where environment and education is concerned, the media package of

awareness materials has made a lasting contribution in the non-formal field.
The audio-visual equipment was and is widely employed in national and district-
level programmes, at seminars and workshops and in the schools. Similarly, its
publications and supplementary readers have contributed to furthering the
dissemination of environmental teaching in the formal school system.

54 The poster competition envisaged to create initial awareness on

environmental issues had a catalytic effect in that several district agencies
and NOGs have subsequently held similar exhibitions.

55 Again, the production of the video film on Water Pollution and the slide
series has helped to bring together script-writers and professional teams to
determine environmentally relevant material. The script-writer of the film
produced under the project by the CEA continued to be directly involved,as were
the regular CFA staff who had to co-ordinate the activities of music composers,
 - 9 -

narrators and graphic artists as well as supervise the technical aspects of

location, shooting and editing. All of this proved a rewarding experience
for all concerned.

56- The package of awareness materials should be used to build on these

achievements in village areas and in schools and should be included in the
curricula of existing training and educational institutions.

57. Much support has been enlisted and much progress obtained and it is
fair to say that the project objectives have been met, yet the project remains
relevant today. Future trends in the country may indeed call for further
technical assistance in this area but for the time being an extension of
activities in environmental education has not been included in the 1987-1991
country Programme.

58- In addition to activities carried out under the above project, Unesco
took further action to strengthen the training of personnel of CEA through its
international and subregional activities in environmental education. In this
context Unesco funded the participation of (i) Director of Environmental
Promotion of CEA to Subregional Training Workshop on Non-formal Environmental
Education for Asia, Malaysia, 18-22 November 1987, (ii) Director of CEA to the
Consultation Meeting on the Incorporation of Environmental Education into
Technical and Vocational Education, Singapore, 10-14 March 1986, and (iii) Member
of CEA Board to the International Congress on Environmental Education and
Training,MOSCOW, USSR, 17-21 August 1987.

59- As an immediate follow-up of this project (SRL/79/046), Unesco is

providing financial, technical and advisory support to CEA for the preparation
and organization of a Unesco-CEA Seminar on Environmental Education in Sri Lanka
for early 1988. A steering Committee under the chairmanship of M.J.T. Dumbukola,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education with members of CEA, Ministry of
Education (Director, Curriculum), (Director, Non-formal Education) and University
of Colombo have decided on the inputs and outputs of the above seminar which will
be attended by about 50 experienced educators, curriculum developers, scientists,
planners as well as specialists in agriculture, technology, industry, mining,
tourism from the ministries and educational institutions whose actions and
decisions have immediate and long-term impact on the environment of Sri Lanka.
The main objectives of this seminar are (i) to report on the outcomes of the
-
Operational Project SRL/79/046 Public Awareness on Environmental Protection
and Management, (ii) to examine the state of the environsent of Sri Lanka and
determine some of the urgent needs and priorities for -itsprotection and improve-
ment, and (iii) to formulate appropriate guidelines for further actions on
developing environmental education and training, as a measure for environmental
protection and improvement, in the context of primary and secondary education,
teacher training, technical and vocational education, university general educahion
and non-formal education.
 - 10 -

60. The investment made by UNDP, Unesco and the Government of Sri Lanka
in the preparation and implementation of this project which is being terminated
has certainly led to the development of a functional infrastructure at CEA, to
the training of a group of qualified personal at CEA, to provision of needed
equipment and production of audio-visual materials, and to reproduction and
dissemination of student readers and teachers guide in environmental education
with the involvement of Curriculum Development Centre. All of this form an
asset which should be put into further good use for the development of environ-
mental education as a measure for the solution and prevention of environmental
problems and improvement of the environment of SriLanka. In this context it is
highly recommended that (i) CEA be supported for a modest project of about
$ 100,000 for a duration of two to three years in order to utilize its gained
experiences and its human and material resources for further catalization of
the activities of governmental and non-governmental institutions in the
incorporation of environmental education into curriculum of primary and secondary
schools, teacher training, technical and vocational education, university
general education and non-formal education, (ii) the Sri Lanka educational
authorities and donating agencies require the incorporation of environmental
education into all new formal and non-formal education projects, and (iii) CEA
and the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka consider the possibility of incorporat-
ing environmental education into the Education Policy of Sri Lanka.
 - 11 -
APPENDIX A

Consultants

Country of Field of Duration of Contract

-
Name Origin Specialization
-~~

From To

Habbard, H. I. U SA Curricula & Programme

Designer
14.09.83 - 08.11.83
Abdo, S. LEEi Media Designer 04.10.83 - 06.12.83
 - 12 -

APPENDIX B

National Staff

Name Function

Ailapperuma, W.D. National Project Director

Nanayakkara, V.K. Proj ec t CO-ordinat or
Gunapala, A.K. Media & Documentation Specialist
Ariyadasa, E. Media & Documen tat ion Special is t
Fonseka, L. (Ms) Officer for Media Production, Project Assistant
Amarasekera, N. (Ms) District-Level Programmes
Anwar, A.A. Dis trict-Level Programmes
 - 13 -
APPENDIX C

List of Study Tours awarded

Name Country Duration Purpose of study

Fonseka, L. (Ms) Malaysia January/February To collect information on

Phil ipp ine s 1984 successful techniques that
Singapore may be used to improve the
public awareness programme
JanuarylFebruary
.. .. ..
Amarasekera, N.(Ms) Malaysia
Philippines 1984
Singapore

Anwar, A.A. Ph il ipp ine s JanuaryIFebruary

.. .. ..
Singapore 1984
Indonesia

Nanayakkara, V ,K. Philippines November/December Training in the development

Japan 1985 of a media package on
Thailand environment and the
preparation of training
curricula
Gunapala, A.K. Japan November /December
.. ..
Thailand 1985
Malaysia
 - 14 -
APPENDIX D

Publication ana Video Film teams

Publication team

Fernando, A.A.D. Author

Gauthamadasa, G.H. Author
Silva, W. Member of Committee
Ailapperuma, W.D. Member of Committee
Fonseka, L. (Ms) Member of Committee

Video Film team

Mancuanayake , A. Director
Nanayakkara, V.K. Executive Producer
Perera, M. (Ms) Assistant Director
Fonseka, L. (Ms) Co-ordinator
Siriwardena, S. Music composing & Recording
Karunaratne , K. Camera
Fernando, J. Editing
Jayasinghe , S. Sound Control
Gunathilaka, D. Recording
Tissera, D. Techn ica 1
Wi j eratne , L . Technician
 - 15 -

APPENDIX E

List of equipment purchased under the

Unesco/UNDP/CU project on public awareness

IBM Electric typewriter

National Video Camera and accessories
26" Colour Television set
RICOR Off-set Printer
RICOR Electronic Plate Maker
Toyota Hiace Diesel Bus
NV 777 EN-VOR
Portable Video Cassette Recorder (AC Adapter and Battery Pack)
PA System: 2 Loud Speakers; 1 Microphone; 1 Mounting kit
Sound-sl ide Projector
16 mm Sound Projector
Overhead Projector and accessories
Honda Generator
Transparancy Maker/Cop ier
Photophone Screeen with Tripod Stand
2 Air Conditioners
UNCHID Paper Guillotine
NIKON F Camera and accessories
World Processor
Gestetner Velo Binder 100 Binding strips A/4 (Red)