GHG Emission Assessment For The Sri Lankan Industrial Park: Analysis Based On Case Study In Kandy Industrial Park, Sri Lanka.
Authors: Fathima Safeeya , Yapa Shashini ,   1. Department of Agri Engineering and Environment Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka; Email: safeeya1999@gmail.com;  Email: shashiniyapa2@gmail.com, Panchali Sathsara ,   2. Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; Email : sathsarap@gmail.com, Madapatha Lawrence , Kularatne Chinthaka ,   Board of Investment, Colombo P.O. Box 1768, Sri Lanka; Email : lawranced@boi.lk; chinthakak@boi.lk, Liu Jingru ,   State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Centre for Eco Environment Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China;  Email : liujingru@rcees.ac.cn
Published: February 2025

The Board of Investment (BOI) is a prime investment
facilitation agency in Sri Lanka established in 1978, under
the Greater Colombo Economics Commission to stimulate
the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Countrywide, fifteen
Export Processing Zones (EPZ) are dedicated to promoting
FDI within the industrial zones while providing more than
1300 companies to operate outside the demarcated zones
under the BOI purview. Out of the 15 EPZs operating, Kandy
Industrial Park (KIP) plays a key role in the central region of
Sri Lanka as it is the only regional industrial park functioning
under the BOI by facilitating 24 industries to uplift the
national economy. The area is located in a peak and forested
interior and is demarcated as a sensitive area under the Soil
Conservation Act in Sri Lanka. Kandy city and most of the
region are shown as basin topography which is significant to
the atmospheric emission and dispersion mechanisms.
Further, BOI was selected as the focal point to implement
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the
framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC). Hence, Green House Gas (GHG)
emission and Carbon Footprint (CFP) Calculation of this
prime industrial park is essential to maintain a harmonized
environment in terms of the economic, health, and social
aspects and the view of global warming. This assessment
spanned 195 acres covering a wide range of industrial
activities including 24 industries of apparel manufacturing,
food processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and
telecommunication systems. According to the theoretical
method to calculate CFP, scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 were
recommended. However, considering the deep analysis of
park activity responses to the CFP, it has revealed that scope 1
and scope 2 are the most impactful emission types. The case
study was selected the KIP as boundary. There in scope III
were disregarded.
Accordingly, the GHG emission showed 1,617,341.13 metric
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq). Emission inventory
for Scope 1 due to diesel and gasoline combustion contributed
42,775.63 CO2eq (MT), while Scope 2 due to electricity usage
accounted for 1,574,565.50 CO2eq (MT). These values are
committed to the environmental challenges and drive to
initiate the mitigation measures.
In context, it has recommended encouraging investors
and industrial management to align with renewable energy
sources especially solar power compatible with the climate of
the region. Further alternative fuel sources such as biofuels or
electrical vehicle usage practices can be adhered. In addition,
internal modifications, adaptation of cleaner production
mechanisms, equipment optimizations, proper maintenance,
and energy audits were recommended. Meantime, park
managements and the users are adapted to increase the
green cover in order to implement the natural carbon sink
mechanisms forecasting the long term impact.
In conclusion, the CFP assessment emphasized the crucial
requirements to implement the sustainable practices to
minimize the environmental impact and global warming.
By following the recommended approaches, the park can
potentially address its CFP and enhance its climate change
mitigation efforts align to the NDCs. This study provides a model for other industrial zones in Sri Lanka and comprehensively underscores the significance of dynamic sustainability
adaptations in industrial operations.