3rd World Congress of Biosphere Reserves and 20th session of The International Co-Ordinating Council (ICC) of The Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme, Madrid, Spain, February 4-9, 2008.

Dr. Magdon Jayasuriya (Senior Consultant & Advisor) has been nominated by The National Science Foundation and Unesco to participate at the above events. DR. Jayasuriya is a member of The National Committee of The Man and Biosphere / National Foundadation of Science and he also has conducted research on National Mab Reserves in Sri Lanka.

Micro Finance Capacity Building

As you may agree, the microfinance industry is becoming increasingly competitive and this has continued to attract more formal players into the sector . As a result, the ever-growing need for relevant skills and knowledge amongst microfinance staff continues to be apparent. The main purpose of conducting the Micro-Finance Capacity Development Program is to provide microfinance workforce in Sri Lanka exposed beyond training with quality, practical and analytical approaches in strategic and core operational areas of microfinance management.

Development Concepts (Pvt) Limited in collaboration with EDA Rural Systems (Pvt)_ Limited (INDIA) has arranged to offer an internationally recognized training program in SRI LANKA to allow microfinance managers and consultants to develop the perspective necessary to establish , improve and expand the microfinance services in their institutions. Your Organization has been identified as one of the potential recipients for the proposed capacity development programme.

By using the CGAP modules and toolkits as the core curriculum, the courses provided MFIs' the opportunity to develop and internalize applicable skills that can make a significant difference to the participants and your institution at large.

There are 8 modules of training to choose from :

• Delinquency Management & Interest Rate Setting
• Process Mapping
• Risk Management
• Managing Growth & Change
• Business Planning with Microfinance
• Corporate Branding and Identity
• Financial Ratio Analysis
• Product Marketing / Development

The first module of the programme will be - Delinquency Management and Interest Rate Setting ( 3 days) which will be held from 21st to 23rd August 2007 in Colombo. These training programmes are facilitated by Mr Sanjay Sinha and Ms Ragini Chaudary ( CGAP Accredited Trainers).

The participants may select one or more modules from the above programme. and reserve their places to suit their requirements.

The course fee for the Delinquency Management and Interest Rate Setting is Rs 30,000/= per participant inclusive of Registration fee, Training Material, lunch and refreshments etc.

The participants will be awarded with a Certificate at the end of the program.

Register

EML Signs MOU with Shell Gas

On May 24,2007 , EML signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SHELL GAS LANKA LIMITED AND AC& RF ENGINEERING (Pvt) LIMITED, which will legally bind the three parties to promote energy management in a environmentally and socially friendly manner. The MOU specifically focuses on ‘Direct Gas Fired Absorption Cooling System ( DGFACS), an air conditioning and refrigeration system powered by LP Gas , and any business related there to. Under the MOU, EML will be responsible for all related environmental aspects including :

• carry out energy audits
• facilitate environmental approvals and carbon credit and other technical and management inputs
• provide technical know how for the successful implementation of the DGFACS
• carry out advisory activities to impart the general public the benefits of the DGFACS, and
• prepare project reports/proposals

CEO/EML Mr Avanthi Jayatilake and Mr. Hussan Madani, Country Chairman/MD of Shell Gas Lanka Limited .

Regional Conference on Good Governance

A ‘Regional Conference on Good Governance in South Asia ’ together with a ‘Training Workshop titled ‘ Good Governance for Building Resilient Cities’ will be held in Hydarabad , India under the on going ‘ Good Urban Governance In South Asia ( GUGSA) Program funded by USAID. EML has been invited to present a paper in the workshop. The conference is supported by USAID in partnership with TCGI, the Administrative Staff College of India and the Ministry of Urban Development of India. The objectives of the conference are to share the examples of good urban governance practices in South Asia, resulting from GUGSA Program during 2001-2007. Further the conference would initiate the formation of a South Asia Regional Cities Forum to sustain information exchange and learning . The delegates will comprise various local government representative s and society representatives from Sri Lanka , Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, and India . Since the inception of GUGSA in 2001, EML has implemented several components of GUGSA in Sri Lanka since the inception of GUGSA in 2001.

Climate Change

Sri Lanka has submitted the Initial National Communication of the country to UNFCCC in October 2000. Actions are underway to prepare the Second National Communication. EML has been entrusted with the task of evaluating the proposed actions in the Initial National Communication ( INC) submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change ( UNFCCC) in the context of an action plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation proposed by Sri Lanka

Carbon Market

During Jan – May 2007, EML initiated several projects which has direct influence on the climate change. Primary among these are : (I ) the Carbon Finance (CF) –Assist Program for Sri Lanka funded by the world Bank, under which a strategic vision in realizing Sri Lanka’s potential for carbon credit is being developed. EML’s role in this project is to evaluate the current capacity in the institutional and legislative areas and recommend further improvements in order to build the capacity of DNA so it can facilitate activities of carbon finance effectively.

Power and Energy

May 2007 - The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has entrusted EML to design and conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) in respect of a construction of a 300 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant. The plant located at Kerawalapitiya ( 12 km north of Colombo), is a part of Ceylon Electricity Boards long-term generation expansion plan to avoid energy short falls. The proposed power plant scheduled to be commissioned in 2010, will have the multi fuel flexibility and can be operated with any fuel ranging from natural gas to residual fuel.