A talk given to Sri Lanka Rationalists' Association (SLRA) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 7 June 2012. In this presentation, I share my observations on how attempts aimed at environmental conservation and sustainable resource use in Sri Lanka are hindered by many misconceptions and myths. I propose a basic categorization of eco-myths as myths of the first, second and third kind – the last one being the most pervasive and harmful. Drawing on my 25 years of experience as a science writer and journalist, I cite several examples from air pollution, biodiversity and climate change. There is also the mother of all eco-myths that Lankan nationalists never tire of repeating: romanticising the ‘good old days’ before modernisation and colonisation. Ah, if only real life were that simple… I acknowledge that scientific knowledge and understanding on some ecological matters are evolving so have to keep an open, inquisitive mind: science does not have all the answers, but provides a framework in which to ask the right questions and to go in search of answers supported by evidence. I also concede that many individuals - and their societies - are not always rational. Some people readily believe in their favourite misconceptions, but demand the most exacting proof for scientific theories or explanations.

1. We can’t
Save the Planet
with Green Myths!
By Nalaka Gunawardene
Science Writer, Blogger & Media Watcher
Columnist (Ravaya, Ceylon Today)
nalakagunawardene.com
Sri Lanka Rationalists Association
Colombo: 7 June 2012

2. My Approach…
 Covered science, technology
& environment in public
media for 25 yrs…
 ‘Bridging’ experts & publics…
 Asking many questions…
 Seeking answers & clarity:
 Curious, eager, open-minded
 Sceptical enquirer
 With wide-ranging interests

3. My Premise…
 We’re faced with many & varied
environmental problems
 Complex, interlinked causes  effects
 No easy solutions or ‘quick fixes’
 Path to viable solutions found thru:
 Evidence (from research, field
observations)
 Public discussion & debate
 Consideration of choices &
alternatives
 Sustaining implementation

4. MYTHS get in the way…
 Discourage individual action
 Feed into apathy & fatalism
 Mislead collective action
 Misguide/distort policy
 Can also lead, in some cases, to:
 waste of public funds
 Irreversible damage/loss
 lost opportunities to act in time
 massive costs of repair/restoration

5. Science: A Journey of Discovery
 No absolute truths in science
 No dogmas or SACRED COWS!
 Scientific method:
 Questions everything
 Investigates hypothesis
 Gathers and analyses evidence
 Draws conclusions
 Remains open for later revision

6. Believe it – or Not?
“One of the most widespread
human weaknesses is our
readiness to accept claims that fit
our beliefs and reject those that
clash with them. We demand
impossible standards of proof
when confronted with something - George Monbiot,
journalist/columnist,
we don’t want to hear -- but will The Guardian, UK
believe any old cobblers if it
www.monbiot.com/2
confirms our prejudices…” 011/11/22/how-the-
greens-were-misled/

7. Eco Myths: 3 Kinds (my sorting)
First Kind: Second Kind: Third Kind:
 Honest mistakes  Exaggerations or  Fabrications by
that gained distortions that vested interests
currency started with facts  False science
Repeated by many and/or
 Probably based 
interpretations
on outdated info without question
 Can harm believer
 Actively peddled to
 Does no great confuse public
harm to holders in some situations
 Great potential for
or wider society  Some policy
misleading public
implications, but no
 No major policy  Intended to rig
major damage
implications possible policy & regulation

8. Sri Lanka: An Island of Legend, Lore
and Modern Myths?
 Burden of a long history:
fact & lore mixed up!
 25 Centuries of stories,
some taller than others…
 21st Century Lanka:
creating modern myths
 Lankans also like to
peddle conspiracy
theories!

9. Lanka: Eco Myths - Historical
 Myth: All our environmental problems
started with colonisation & modernisation.
Fact: Generalisations not possible. Analyse
each trend on its own.
 Myth: All exotic species are harmful. Native
species are better (Us vs. Them?)
Fact: Generalisations highly misleading. No
country is an island - genetically speaking.
It’s a mixed & mashed up world. Get used to
it!

10. Sri Lanka:
Spice Island or Bland Nation?
“The diverse origins didn’t really
matter: the islanders knew just
how to mix the native and
foreign to achieve legendary
results. As Sri Lanka embarks on
national integration and
reconciliation after three
decades of war, it’s worth
recalling this particular aspect
of our heritage…”
– Nalaka Gunawardene op-ed
July 2009: contd. 

11. Sri Lanka:
Spice Island or Bland Nation?
“Sri Lanka is more resilient
than we think — and more
vibrant and diverse than it
appears at first glance.
“Let genes, ideas and spices
flow freely again!”
- Nalaka Gunawardene, in essay
first published in July 2009
Full text at: http://tiny.cc/SpiceIsle

12. Lanka: More Eco Myths – the Air
 Myth: Factory fumes are mostly
responsible for polluting the air we
breathe.
Fact: Over 60% of outdoor air pollution in
LK caused by vehicle exhaust emissions.
Diesel power plant emissions are also
significant.
 Myth: Staying indoors can protect you
from worst exposure to air pollution.
Fact: Not always. Indoor air pollution from
poorly ventilated kitchens is a major
health hazard to women & children.

13. Cartoonists: Do they reflect or shape
public perceptions on problems?
Cartoon by W R Wijesoma, doyen of Lankan cartoonists, circa 1990

14. Cartoon by W R Wijesoma, 1993

15. Even younger cartoonists believe
factories are biggest air polluters!
Cartoon by Ramesh de Silva, 2010: British Council Climate Cartoons Contest

16. Cartoon by M M D M Dileepa Dolawatta, 2010: British Council Climate Cartoons Contest

17. Whether we admit or not…
We’re ALL part of the problem!

18. Why don’t we see more cartoons
like this in Lankan media?

19. More Eco Myths:
What drives Lanka’s deforestation?
 Myth: Politically-backed illicit
loggers are ‘mostly responsible’ for
LK deforestation. “It’s all to do
with greed and corruption!”
 Fact: Illicit logging for timber does
happen -- but NOT the main
reason for Ldeclining forest cover.
 Deforestation & forest degradation
result from complex, multiple
causes.
 There is no single ‘villain’!

20. What drives Lanka’s deforestation?
 Sri Lanka’s forest cover estimated
at 22.4% of total land in 1999.
 Forest cover decline driven mostly
by land uses (demand for land):
 Large scale Irrigation schemes incl
Mahaweli River project
 Expanding human settlements &
public infrastructure, e.g. roads
 Growing food & cash crops
 Activities in other sectors also
impact forest cover, e.g. hydro
power reservoirs that flood forests

21. Where do we source our timber?
 Myth: More timber we
consume, more natural forests
will be ‘sacrificed’ to source it.
 Fact: Not quite. Most of Lanka’s
timber (70%) & firewood (80%)
now harvested from trees
OUTSIDE natural forests.
 Trees a renewable resource that
can be grown!

22. Who drives Lanka’s deforestation?
Cartoon by W R Wijesoma, circa 1992

23. Who drives Lanka’s deforestation?
Cartoon by W R Wijesoma drawn to illustrate
Nalaka Gunawardene article on elephants
running out of habitat in Lanka’s forests; 1993

24. The ‘Sinharaja Mentality’?
“How many environmentally
concerned Lankans can name
specific forest areas besides the
much hyped Sinharaja, Yala (and
perhaps Wilpattu)? Most can’t!
There are more biologically
diverse forests in Sri Lanka than
Sinharaja - but far less known…”
– Dr Alawattagoda Pemadasa,
botanist & writer, quoted in the
late 1980s

25. Eco Myths Galore:
Too much ‘hot air’ on Climate Change…

26. What Sane Limits of Scepticism?

27. There is also much confusion!

28. Media Reports:
‘Climate Disaster’ in the making?
“3 Lankan Districts in
Danger!
No rice cultivation in
Anuradhapura,
Polonnaruwa &
Hambantota Districts
Part of Colombo will
submerge”
 Lankadeepa, top-selling Sinhala daily newspaper in
Sri Lanka, front page lead on 8 Dec 2007

29. The Nation newspaper, 23 Oct 2007

30. Fears on Climate Change
 “Sea levels will rise,
submerging
many of Lanka’s coastal areas”
 “Threaten our food (rice)
production & fresh water”
 “Disasters will increase,
threatening life & property”
 “Global warming can even
trigger tsunamis!”
Many are based on some basis…

31. Weather Extreme…
Or “Foreign Interference”?
By Gihan de Chickera, Daily Mirror, 19 Jan 2011

32. What do
Lankan people
think or know
about Climate?

33. Public Perceptions on
Climate Change in Sri Lanka 2010
 1,000 Lankans aged 18 & above
 Surveyed during: March – April 2010
 Conducted by market research firm,
Survey Research Lanka (Pvt) Limited
 For Strengthening Capacity for Climate
Change Adaptation Project, Ministry of
Environment
 Supervised by Dr Buddhi Weerasinghe
& Nalaka Gunawardene
 Results released: Nov 2010

34. Surveying Public Perceptions on
Environment & Climate in Sri Lanka
 To map out what ordinary Lankans
FEEL/RECALL about:
 changes in local environment
 if/what they THINK about climate change
 Opinion survey, NOT a test of
knowledge
 Answers collated, but not judged
 Snapshot of popular beliefs, worries and
fears on current environment…

35. Survey Sample…
 1,000 respondents
 All 25 districts of Sri Lanka
 Urban: 144; Rural: 856
 Wet Zone: 42%; Intermediate Zone: 31%;
Dry Zone: 27%
 54% women; 46% men
 Average age: 40 years
 Average respondent: 10 years of schooling
 Just over 50% of respondents wage-earners
 Total income of average sample household:
LKR 22,600 (USD 200)/month

37. Percentage of
people who feel
that rains don’t
come on time
anymore...

40. Do you think the
temperatures have
changed in your
area in the past 10
years ?
90% said:
temperatures
are higher

41. Why do you think rainfall, temp. &
other natural factors changed?
 “Deforestation, tree felling, setting fire to wilderness
& extinction of wildlife” (74%)
 “Air pollution caused by vehicle emissions” (11%)
 “Accelerated development of projects and
construction activities” (11%)
 “Air pollution caused by factories” (10%)
 “Population growth” (8%)
 “Air pollution” (7%)
 “Environmental pollution” (6%)
 “Due to natural disasters” (5%)
 “Destroying the ozone layer” (3%)
 “Nuclear testing” (3%)
 “Water pollution by use of agro-chemicals” (3%)
 “Cannot say” (7%)

44. Do you know of any other reasons that
cause Climate Change?
 “Tsunami” (12%)
 “Earthquakes” (8%)
 “Floods” (8%)
 “Melting of icebergs and ice-caps on
mountains” (7%)
 “Landslides” (6%)
 “Harm to the ozone layer” (6%)
 “Volcanic eruptions” (5%) Multiple answers
 “Cyclones” (5%) were allowed.
 “Natural phenomenon” (5%) Answers not
 “Do not know” (44%) prompted.

45. Top climate impacts feared…

46. Nearly 80% believe something can and
should be done about Climate Change.
We asked them: who should take action?
Me & my family 77%
My local community 79%
Local government body 55%
Provincial administration 47%
National government 78%
United Nations / Global level 42%

47. Info sources on ALL current issues..
Outdoor billboards, banners, etc 27%
Educational institutions 7%
Friends, neighbors, colleagues 52%
Public exhibitions, seminars,etc 13%
Mobile phone/SMS alerts 13%
Internet 9%
TV 94%
Radio 74%
Newspapers and magazines 70%

48. Survey Reports Online…
 Public Perceptions on Climate Change in
Sri Lanka 2010 Survey: findings are
published and in the public domain
 Illustrated summary with highlights:
http://tiny.cc/PPSLSum
 Full report: http://tiny.cc/PPSL
 New story: www.tveap.org/?
q=1011_mmc.php
 Another report by Centre for
Environmental Justice done in Feb 2009,
available at: www.elaw.org/node/3872

49. Some winning/commended entries of
Climate Change Cartoon Contest 2009
British Council Sri Lanka

50. Contest scope/rules
 Open to all Lankans aged 18 – 35
 Black & white cartoons (up to 5/person)
 6 themes:
 drought and water shortage
 deforestation & rain forest destruction
 melting of polar ice caps
 role of industry in polluting the
atmosphere
 devastation of our seas & marine life
 climate change in an urban environment.
 Details: http://tiny.cc/CCCartoon

51. Second Prize
Second Place: Cartoon by M M D Dileepa Dolawatta

52. Third Prize
Third Place: Cartoon by Ms M W D Nishani

53. Climate Change: No Escape…
 Climate change: reality we can’t escape.
 Our contribution to global warming is
negligible.
 But already facing negative impacts, e.g.
 Increases in frequency/intensity of
disasters
 Variability of rainfall patterns
 Temperature increases
 Sea level rise (slow but steady)
 These will be more severe in future.

54. Lanka WILL BE Impacted…
but exactly when and how?
“A major part of Jaffna and other
northern areas of Sri Lanka will
be submerged when sea levels
rise. So people are fighting and
dying over areas that may soon
not be there.”
- Dr Mohan Munasinghe, former vice chair,
UN-IPCC [In 2007 media interview given to
IPS -- while Lanka’s war was still on!]
Full text:
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37463

55. We should worry more about effects
on Monsoons with major impacts
We are ALL
Children of
the Monsoon
in South Asia!
Even small
change can
affect 1.5
billion people
Image by Kalpana-1 Indian satellite, 18 May 2010

56. Adaptation: Living with climate
change impacts!
 In order to protect our people &
national interests, we must plan for
and adapt to expected climate
change impacts.
 Climate change adaptation is not a
choice. It’s an imperative.
 National Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy 2011-2016,
ADB/Govt of Sri Lanka
 Full Report at:
www.climatechange.lk/Publications
.html

57. Climate Communication Challenges…
 How to communicate a clear,
coherent message on CC?
 How to avoid climate related
public scare mongering?
 Dangers of over-stating the case?
 Separating climate impacts from
effects of other human activities
 Short term survival vs. long term
climate adaptation
 Moving BEYOND RHETORIC!

58. Everyone Loves a Good Myth?

59. From Jana Thakshana Puwath, Vol 2, No 3
Published by Practical Action Sri Lanka, 2008

60. Summing Up:
MYTHS can entertain - but not save us!
 Myths & legends are part of culture:
people are not always logical,
evidence-based or rational
 Modern humans: like to create their
own ‘urban legends’!
 Believing and/or peddling myths is part
of individual liberty…
 AS LONG AS it causes no harm!
Green Dragon named
 WORRY: when myths distort public
Ai-Ai-Yo, made in
debate, misdirect policy or threaten China and gifted to
public safety and/or lives Sri Lanka (OK, I’m
just kidding here!)

61. I’m NOT arguing for simplistic,
purely technocratic solutions…
 Like individuals, nations are also
not always driven by rational
arguments & scientific logic
alone…
 Emotions & beliefs matter, too!
 Don’t look for simple techno
fixes to real world problems…
 MY PLEA: Open-minded, broad-
based discussion & debate,
instead of DOGMA or BELIEF!

62. As I’ve been saying for 20 years:
No room for apathy or fatalism…
“There is a common perception
[in Sri Lanka] that the cumulative
environmental impacts of the - Nalaka
Gunawardene
liberalised economy,
government-driven development “Bridging the Gap
Between
programmes and population Perception and
pressures are both inevitable and Reality”
irreversible -- and that individual Op-ed written for
action cannot make a difference. IIED Perspectives
This is wrong…” (London) in 1993

63. Go Beyond Sentimentality…
"Sentimental stuff is fine to
listen to and was actually
inspiring 20 years or more
ago, but absolutely counter-
productive now! One has to
positively contribute to
economics, livelihoods or -- Dr Jinie Dela,
Primatologist and
other human aspirations to
Member, IUCN
get through to most Commission on
people…” Education and
Communication

64. But we need Tree-huggers too!
“Without the tree huggers, we
would be lost without ways to
convince people and politicians on
critical environmental issues. So,
while I agree that they cannot solve
the environmental issues of our day
by themselves, neither can the
- Lalanath de Silva
scientists or politicians. These Director, The Access
complex issues require honest Initiative, World
partnerships between all: the Resources Institute,
scientists, the tree huggers, the Washington,DC
politicians, the companies, etc.”

65. Eco Myth-Busters Beware!
True Greens love their little myths…
 My Blogpost, April 2009:
“Much-touted & lyrical
speech attributed to
native American Chief
Seattle not his words”
 No verbatim record of
his 1854 speech
 Famous words: written
‘Chief Seattle speech’: Global
in 1970 by Ted Perry for
environmental legend, or
a green film script! pervasive myth?
 Eco Defenders cry foul:
“Hands off sacred chief” Full Text & heated discussion:
http://tiny.cc/MythChief

67. What’s in a name?
Earth: Home planet, Mother or God?

68. Thanks…
Everything here is open to debate!
Email:
alien@nalaka.org
Blog:
nalakagunawardene.com
Twitter:
twitter.com/NalakaG
Thanks to: Dr Jini Dela, Lalanath de Silva, Rohan Pethiyagoda,
Dr Janaka Ratnasiri, Dr Ranil Senanayake, Dilrukshi
Handunnetti, Dr Buddhi Weerasinghe for ideas & refs
They are not responsible for my interpretations & opinions!