J’pura Expo 2026 – Sustainability Forum
J’PURA EXPO 2026
J’PURA EXPO 2026, the flagship initiative of the Department of Business Economics, is proudly being held for the fifth consecutive year. The initiative unfolds across three actionable phases, commencing with Phase 01: The Sustainability Forum, which successfully concluded on 2nd September 2026 at the New Faculty Building Auditorium, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Sustainability Forum – “Building a Green Economy: Green Finance, Carbon Markets and the New Growth Agenda”
The Sustainability Forum brought together distinguished voices from academia, corporate sustainability, legal research, and the financial sector. The panel focused on bridging the awareness gap in Sri Lanka by exploring how abstract environmental concepts can be translated into tangible business practices, treating sustainability not as a regulatory burden, but as a major business opportunity.
Panelists included:
- Dr. Pasan Dunuwila – Senior Lecturer, Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
- Ms. Punyamali Saparamadu – Senior Vice President Commercial, Colombo Stock Exchange
- Ms. Dinithi Hasanika – Senior Executive Environmental Sustainability, MAS Holdings Pvt Ltd – Bodywear
- Mr. Nalin Karunatileka – Consultant/Coordinator, The Sri Lanka Banks’ Association (SLBA) Sustainable Banking Initiative
- Ms. Sajini Wickramasinghe – Legal Research Analyst, Verité Research
Moderator:
- Prof. P.J.S. Fernando – Professor, Department of Business Economics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The discussion explored topics such as:
- The global momentum of green finance, including the exponential growth of green bond issuances scaling beyond USD 2.5 Trillion.
- How carbon markets operate and their role in facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Strategies for moving capital from niche products into mainstream portfolios to support sustainable development.
- The transition toward an economic system that improves human well-being and social equity through resource-efficient and socially inclusive growth.
The forum perfectly aligned with the overarching mission of J’PURA EXPO 2026, setting a strong intellectual foundation before moving from conversation to direct action in the upcoming field projects: Phase 02 (The Yagirala Reforestation Initiative) and Phase 03 (The Revitalization of the Yagirala Forest Research and Conservation Center).