Introduction

The Centre for Environmental Sustainability (CES) of the University of Peradeniya has been offering interdisciplinary environmental training, consultancy, and research programs since its establishment in 1992. The goal is to address environmental issues at national, regional, and global levels. The CES brings together scholars from nine faculties and multiple postgraduate institutes, collaborating with external organizations to create impactful solutions for environmental challenges.

To disseminate sound environmental knowledge, develop skills necessary for efficient environmental management, and inculcate sustainable environmental attitudes among students, professionals, and the general public.

To ensure an environmentally informed and responsible society.

Organizational Structure of CES

The CES is administered by the Director and three Deputy Directors assigned for consultancy, training and research and environmental management related responsibilities appointed by the Board of Management of the University of Peradeniya. Governing authority of the CES is vested with the Board of Management of the university. The CES is functioning as a self-financed unit of the University of Peradeniya and all the financial activities are handled by the Financial Administration Division of the University, following the rules and regulations of the University Grant Commission and approved government rules and regulations of Sri Lanka.

The University of Peradeniya has been conducting environmental studies in various ways since its inception in 1952. This includes both teaching, research at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and environmental consultancies. However, environmental studies remain institutionally compartmentalized in spite of the interdisciplinary nature of the field. In order to conduct the activities of environmental studies through a separate entity of the University, the Centre for Environmental Studies (CES) was established in 1992 with the approval of the Senate and the Council and by the University Grants Commission (UGC), with the intention of disseminating sound environmental knowledge and developing skills necessary for environmental management. During the time of founding, the CES acted as the main academic entity of the country that provided training in conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for development projects since its introduction to Sri Lanka in the early 1990s. Therefore, the CES has primarily been established as an academic entity to offer training in environmental management. In 2008, a fresh mandate for the CES was recommended by the Senate at its 326th meeting held on 21st March 2008 and was approved by the Council at its 368th meeting held on 26th July 2008 to streamline the coordination between management of CES and the central administration system of the University. After revising its mandate in 2008, the CES has focused on providing more consultancy services to the environmental projects at national level. As a leading university in the country with a large pool of experts in diverse fields, the CES is capable of providing consultancies on a wide range of environmental issues. They include areas such as industrial environmental management and pollution control, EIAs and feasibility studies for major developmental projects, adaptation and mitigation options to climate change and biodiversity losses, developing master plans for conservation projects, etc., using state-of-the-art technologies such as GIS and drone surveys. The ultimate goal of providing such expertise to the industry is for a sustainable development and a healthy environment. The CES has also been assisting the University towards implementing an effective environmental management system to make an eco-friendly Campus. In 2021, the Council of the University approved an Environmental Policy for the University enabling the implementation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to avoid, minimize and manage adverse impacts to the environment caused by the University’s activities. In 2021, the mandate of the CES was slightly amended by naming its “research” arm as “research and environmental management” by adding more responsibilities to assist in environmental management. Presently, the CES has been rendering a significant service to the University and the nation in the field of environmental education, providing diverse consultancy services and disseminating findings of environmental research to the community. Moreover, it organizes activities to inculcate sustainable environmental attitudes among the schoolchildren, University students and the general public. Therefore, the CES is now being operated not only as an entity for academic activities but also as a Centre with a broader scope in promoting environmental protection, environmental management and sustainable development. Therefore, the University of Peradeniya at its 521 Council meeting held on 29th October 2022 decided to change its name as “Centre for Environmental Sustainability (CES)” with effect from November 2022.

Former Directors of CES

• 1992-1997: Prof. C.M. Madduma Bandara, Faculty of Arts
• 1997-2000: Prof. V.Y. Kuruwita, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• 1998-2000: Prof. J.M.R.S. Bandara, Faculty of Agriculture
• 2000-2001: Prof. A.N.F. Perera, Faculty of Agriculture
• 2001-2002: Prof. M.N.M. Balam, Faculty of Agriculture
• 2004-2011: Shantha K. Hernayake, Faculty of Arts
• 2012-2013: Nihal Priyantha, Faculty of Science
• 2014-2020: Prof. S.N. Nawaratna, Faculty of Agriculture