2018 Reports

Pilot Application of Sustainability Benefits Assessment Methodology in Colombo Metropolitan Area, Sri Lanka

Grafakos, Stelios; Sharma, Somesh; Gianoli, Alberto; Ranade, Monali; Mills-Knap, Sarah

The Bedaggana Wetland Development Project in Colombo, Sri Lanka, applies an integrated Sustainability Benefits Assessment (SBA) to quantify social, environmental, and economic benefits, including climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project restores wetlands, increases canopy cover, and creates recreational areas, enhancing flood retention, biodiversity, and carbon storage (from 285 to ~1,045 tons per year). The SBA methodology combines GIS-based scenario mapping with a benefits matrix to systematically capture adaptation–mitigation co-benefits at individual, community, and global levels, demonstrating a practical approach to green growth and ecosystem-based urban resilience.