Sri Lanka’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0)(2026–2035).

Sri Lanka’s Third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) builds upon the updated 2021 NDCs (NDC 2.0), while affirming more ambitious mitigation targets and enhancements in climate resilience for the period 2026 to 2035, in compliance with the Paris Agreement. It sets an ambitious climate agenda, aiming to cut GHG emissions by 20.09% (116 million MT CO₂e) from business-as-usual levels, with 8.11% unconditional and 11.98% conditional on international support. From a sectoral perspective, the electricity (power) sector is expected to contribute the largest share, approximately 75.0% of the total emission reductions, reflecting the Government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy and enhancing energy efficiency. The agriculture sector accounts for 7.5%, recognising opportunities to improve sustainable farming practices and reduce emissions from unsustainable land use practices. Industry and transport sectors contribute 7.0% and 6.3% respectively, through measures aimed at energy efficiency, cleaner technologies, and sustainable mobility. Waste management improvements are projected to achieve 4.2% of reductions, through circular economy practices, enhanced waste treatment and recycling initiatives. In addition to mitigation, the forestry sector plays a critical role, with targeted interventions expected to enhance net carbon sequestration by 4.49% increase above the BAU scenario, contributing to carbon sinks and biodiversity conservation.
Key measures include expanding renewable energy, electrifying transport, improving industrial efficiency, and promoting circular economy practices. Adaptation priorities span agriculture, water, biodiversity, health, and urban planning, emphasizing resilience, early warning systems, and nature-based solutions. Other key highlights of the NDC3.0 include: Improvement of the fuel economy and emission performance of active vehicle fleet by 25% by 2035; Promotion of circular economy concepts across all industries, while establishing ecoindustrial parks and villages; Conversion of industry refrigeration and commercial refrigeration systems to lowglobal warming potential technologies; GHG emission reduction of 20.8% during the 10-year period in the waste sector through implementation of integrated activities and management practices; Reduce post-harvest losses and improve the value addition of crops; Sustainable management of forests, the restoration of other degraded lands, and promotion of planting trees outside the forest, to increase the forest cover up to at least 32% by 2035; and Conservation and enhancement of blue carbon ecosystems; Promotion of Nature-based solutions (NbS); Management of the worsening of malnutrition due to climate change with actions such as developing a mechanism for an early warning system on food availability, carrying out programmes for nutrition management in general while also having targeted support for vulnerable groups by the midwives at the household-level.
Sri Lanka’s NDC 3.0 integrates loss and damage, gender equity, and social inclusion, addressing vulnerabilities from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and sea-level rise. Implementation depends on robust governance, technology transfer, capacity building, and climate finance, ensuring a just, inclusive transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.