Sri Lanka: In The Mid Of Water-Energy Nexus

By Darshana Ashoka Kumara

It is our common sense that water and the human life are inextricably linked. Water is part and parcel of all the aspects of human life: health, food production, economic vitality, etc. In a country like Sri Lanka, still we are rich with a good number of water sources. But Sri Lanka has been facing hardships in recent years due to changes of rain patterns, a result of the climate change.

The focus, here, is drawn on the connection between the country’s energy sector and water sources. By and large, fresh water is essential in energy generation. Recently launched World Water Development Report finds that 90 percent of power generation, worldwide needs fresh water for different purposes chiefly for hydropower generation and cooling systems in the thermal and nuclear power plants.

Coal and gas power plants is mushrooming in the developing countries, more water consumption is obvious in the business of power generation in the coming decades.

The World Water Development Report (2014 ) projects that global energy demand would increase by more than one-third by 2035. Electricity demand in the globe is also expected to get raised by 70 percent over the same period. 

Globe’s water resources are threatened hugely due to the climate change, resulting extreme weather conditions: long droughts and disastrous rains. For instance, such extreme weather conditions have implication on the energy sector too; hindering the hydro power generation in countries like Sri Lanka.

Electricity generation of the island nation is basically relied on hydro power and thermal heat -- alternative energy sources like photovoltaics and wind power are at the early stage of the development. Also, geothermal, nuclear, peat, solar thermal and wave power are in a promising stage in the country. It is a well known fact that the thermal power electricity generation depends on fossil fuel, biomass and coal.
Country’s power mix made a huge turn over the decades since the commissioning of the inaugural hydropower plant, Laxapana in 1950. The country’s electricity demand was fully met by the hydropower generation till the decade of 1990. At present, it occupies around 30 percent of the power mix.

Hydropower generation was severely hit by the chaotic patterns of the rains with climate change. The climate system of the island nation is a result of the meteorological patterns in the Indian sub continent generated by the tropical circulation.

Sri Lanka is experiencing two wind regimes, the Asian Monsoons: southwest monsoon – prevailing from May to October – and the northeast monsoon – prevailing from December to February. Seasonal rains – which have deep implications over the economy and the life of the island nation for centuries—are a result of the aforementioned monsoons. As per the opinion of the climatologists, annual mean temperature is increasing from 1871-1990, according to the gathered data.

Asian Monsoons have changed their seasonal patterns and a large extent of the country’s hydroelectric resource was badly hit. As hydroelectricity has been dealt with a severe blow owing to the change in the climate, the authorities had to resort to more thermal power sources from 1990’s.

In parallel to the reduction of hydropower generation, thermal power generation secured the lion’s share of the Sri Lanka’s power mix, gradually. But the move has a wide array of political economic consequences over the Sri Lankan society.

At present, 94 percent of households in the country enjoy electricity with the recent booming in infrastructure. Also, making sure of uninterrupted power supply has already become a part and parcel of political agenda in the country during last two decades. 80 percent of the households receive electricity from the national grid and the others from the off grid systems, for instance solar power.

A report issued by the Asian Development Bank in 2013 explicated that Sri Lanka will need to 20.3 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in 2035. While relying on fossil fuel sources of energy in the future is possible to be a burning issue for Sri Lanka which does not produce fossil fuel in the country; the total amount has to be imported and ultimately it makes the country vulnerable to international oil price fluctuations and pushes up the country’s power generation costs.

Fossil fuel energy would not only hamper the country’s economy but also the environment, at large. Subsidizing fossil fuel by vast majority of governments in the developing world is obvious. The fuel subsidies would serve for engrossing climate change and finally creates vicious circle of downsizing the amount of hydropower energy generation.
It is time opportune to look for alternative sources of energy based on clean renewable sources to quell the country’s energy demand.

“Global fossil fuel consumption subsidies were US$523 billion in 2011, compared to $88 billion financial support for renewable energy.” said Engin Koncagul, Programme Officer of World Water Assessment Programme, UNESCO.

Eliminating subsidies on fossil fuels would surely pave away for possible green technology upsurge; gap of production cost for green energy and the fossil fuel would deplete, too. More investments in the clean energy sources would result renewable energy more cheap.

Oil conglomerates should definitely be reluctant to discourage fossil fuel habit; the sum of money they have altogether invested into the top 200 fossil fuel ventures is around US$ 5.5 trillion. The figure also indicates that each person on the earth has invested about US$ 800 fossil fuel industry, if you divide the investment by the population. Hence, fossil fuel is a huge global business. The nation states will have to exert much toil to get rid from the nasty habit of fossil fuels and turn into clean energy sources.

Darshana Ashoka Kumara is a radio journalist working for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. He is a fellow of the South Asia Climate Change Award (SACCA) and Asia Journalism Fellowship, Singapore. His reporting interests are Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Disaster Management.

Before They Attack My Kidney: Agrochemical Business And CDKu In Sri Lanka

By Darshana Ashoka Kumara

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.”

This is a famous statement of pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984). Throughout last decade mainstream media and public discussion in Sri Lanka were not enough focused on Chronic Kidney Disease in the North-Central province of Sri Lanka. Now, in 2014, the situation is alarming; the deadly disease has raised its ugly head with more energy and come to your door step. Virtually, it is a situation of do or die.
“School children in the North-Central province are no exception from deadly Chronic Kidney Disease prevailing in the area. We thought earlier that the middle age farmers are the victims of the disease. But, it is not a valid argument any more.” said Dr. Channa Jayasumana, Lecturer, Medical Faculty of University of Rajarata .
Dr. Jayasumana, whose research interests in Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown origin – aetiological factors and therapeutics, working for the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka highlighted that the new situation is extremely serious and calls for an immediate action.
The devastating renal disease first came into the light in 2000’s. It was given the label chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu). So far, no exact cause has been confirmed over the origin of the disease.
The damages caused by the CKDu are different to other renal failures: diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. Progress of the disease is dawdling and asymptomatic. Hence, the medical officers are facing a severe challenge as no significant clinical feature is visible during the early stage of the disease.
The menace is highly observable in the areas like Senapura, Kahatagasdigiliya, Mihintale, Talawa, Ipalogama, Rambagalabindunu Wewa and Rambewa in the North Central Province; The situation has caused internal migration, too.
Poor farmers and their families are fallen prey in the dangerous illness; it is estimated that Kidney disease could spread into an area of more than 20,000 square kilometers, possible to attack 2.8 million countrymen in the coming years.
A WHO study confirmed by the health authorities of the Sri Lanka says more than 450,000 people have been affected by CDKu. According to the WHO, pesticides distributed in the environment in different forms – for instance, higher cadmium, lead and arsenic percentages in the phosphate fertilizer agricultural soils – have contributed to the prevalence of the disease. Some harmful residues generated from the overuse of pesticides were found in urine, hair and nail samples taken from people in the severely affected areas.
In year 2013, around 2,000 deaths reported country-wide as a result of the disease. The figure is on the rise. The Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka incurs approximately 3 million US dollars per annum to treat CKDu patients.
In the face of pressure mounted by the environmentalists and activists, Sri Lankan authorities had to prohibit the import of three pesticides -- chlopyrifos, propanil and vabarly-- to quell the discomfiture.
Even though the country’s law does not allow individuals or organizations to import agro-chemicals with arsenic and other harmful materials, most of the business conglomerates do so and are protected by the authorities in the corrupt system of Sri Lanka.
Most of the researchers delved into the issue of CKDu in the country find that metalloid arsenic, a natural environmental contaminant to which humans are routinely exposed in food, water, air, and soil, is the basic cause for the gruesome menace. Arsenic has been a part and parcel of pesticides for more than a century. The experts explain that contamination of arsenic would result from gastrointestinal distress to death of the human body, depending on the extent of exposure.
Rachel Louise Carson, an American marine biologist and conservationist, who authored the book titled “Silent Spring” noted that "For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death." It is crystal clear that the human species has entered into a crucial phase of their progress, particularly in terms of food production. The new situation also showcases the dire need of having paradigm shift in the food production means.
She also notes that “I do contend that we have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals into the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potentials for harm.”
K.P. Sasi, in his work, Myths on Pesticides, points out roots of chemical pesticides goes back to the modern warfare. When Nazi Germany was led by the tyrant leader Adolf Hitler, scientists were guided to create chemical weapons, the original form of today’s pesticides -- like Malathion and Parathion -- to cause damages over their enemies during the Second World War.
Pesticides are present every where in the modern life; in 2007, the world used more than 5.2 billion pounds of weed killers, insecticides, and fungicides.
In conclusion, it has to be declared that chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology is not just a matter of Sri Lanka and its people at all. It tells a story about carelessness, greediness, selfishness and unsustainable life of the modern man, by and large. Eventually, it is again selfishness; I am in a hurry to take an action before they attack my kidney.
Darshana Ashoka Kumara is a radio journalist working for the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. He is a fellow of the South Asia Climate Change Award (SACCA) and Asia Journalism Fellowship, Singapore. His reporting interests are Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Disaster Management.