[Colombo] February 24, 2015, : Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) a coalition of 125 civil society organisations called upon the heads of governments of developing countries to collaborate and coordinate their efforts on climate change adaptation plans and ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) reflect the urgency to address climate impacts at the conclusion of a 2 day conference organized in Colombo and co-hosted by Janathakshan and Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) today.

Acknowledging that climate change is the greatest humanitarian, environmental and security threat facing the world today, government and non-governmental participants from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan stressed upon the need for bottom-up, inclusive, responsive and flexible approach towards adaptation planning while ensuring that the Sustainable Development goals converge with Climate change goals.

In September 2015 government leaders will gather in New York to agree upon a universal set of goals to tackle global challenges like poverty, inequality, discrimination, corruption and injustice of all kinds. Later in December 2015 world leaders will gather again in Paris to forge a global climate agreement. Taken together, this year’s two big summits and their outcomes will go a long way in ensuring a sustainable and safe future for the planet.

“Pakistan like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is reeling under the worst impacts of climate change. Clearly, climate change knows no borders and now more than ever it is critical that our leaders come together to share best practices for climate change adaptation and set the region on the path of sustainable development,” said Mr. Malik Muhammad Uzair Khan, Member of Parliament from Pakistan. “We need to increase public awareness on sustainable development goals and climate change for long term planning and implementation. We must own SDG’s as our national goals in order to ensure their implementation.” he added.

“It is important that climate change science is demystified to raise public awareness and communities are educated and empowered on climate change adaptation measures. Srilanka has recently demonstrated that people power is mightier than political power, and empowering our people will help not only to build their resilience but also choosing the sustainable path for development” said Ashoka Abhaygunavardhne, Advisor to Ministry of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy said in his inaugural address earlier.

“Climate change will have irreversible impact on water, food, livelihood and is the greatest threat to development ambitions of the developing world, we can’t  justify Sustainable Development Goals without addressing climate change.”  said Mr. Ram Kishan, Regional Emergency Manager, South Asia of Christian Aid,  “ Adaptation Planning must protect poor vulnerable communities on the basis of equity principles while protecting social, ecological and environmental capital.” he added.

“The need to pull our knowledge and resources together, and to use a multi stakeholder and multi institutional approach to come up with collaborative vision for South Asian countries, is especially pivotal in light of the post-2015 sustainable development goals negotiations.” said Yi Ying Lee, coordinator of APAN’s regional hub.

Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) is a pan-Asia network of  125 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.