GCF Regional Dialogue opens in Sri Lanka with a call for faster climate action

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Environment has outlined how the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other partners are central to his country’s ambition to implement transformative climate actions.

Speaking at the opening of GCF’s Regional Dialogue with East and South Asia on 14 September 2026, Hon. Dr. Dammika Patabendi highlighted the importance of greater access to finance, more resources for adaptation, and stronger regional collaboration on climate action as key elements to this national goal.

“The climate crisis demands more than commitments – it demands action. It demands that we move from pledges to projects, from plans to implementation, and from ambition to impact,”  Minister Patabendi said.

“Sri Lanka stands ready to do its part. We have set ambitious targets. We are implementing transformative initiatives. And we are opening our doors to partnerships that can accelerate our progress.

“However, we cannot do this alone. We need the continued support of the Green Climate Fund, our development partners, the private sector, and civil society to mobilise climate finance, technology, and capacity needed to deliver on our Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans.”

Hosted by the Government of Sri Lanka in the country capital, Colombo, the Regional Dialogue saw about 150 representatives, including GCF’s government focal points (National Designated Authorities) and implementing partners (Accredited Entities) from eight countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.  The participants are gathered in Colombo for four days of practical discussions to accelerate climate action.

The Dialogue is taking place as GCF embarks on its third replenishment cycle (known as GCF-3 replenishment) on the back of a growing track record of implementation and impact. In Asia and the Pacific, GCF has invested USD 5.8 billion, which has attracted an additional USD 20 billion in co-financing across a portfolio of 127 projects. In the above countries alone, this has resulted in a reduction of 46 million tonnes CO2eq and 84 million people supported on adaptation.

GCF’s Director of the Asia and the Pacific Region, Hemant Mandal, encouraged partners to leverage the ‘enormous potential’ of East and South Asia with its ‘strong institutions, innovative businesses, technical expertise, and a growing pipeline of climate solutions’.

“Let’s turn national climate priorities into strong, investable projects and programmes that deliver real impact … so that we leave Colombo with practical solutions, new partnerships, and a clear path from ideas to investment,” he said.

While the Dialogue focused primarily on the future, it began with a quiet moment of reflection as representatives observed a minute of silence for those affected by last month’s glacial flood disaster in Nepal.