ABSTRACT
The preparation of an environmental agenda for Sri Lanka for the twenty-first century has been extremely slow. This is due to the complex nature of the task, poor communication between grass-roots and state agencies-both between people and decision makers and among sectors. Many have realised that the adoption of sustainable development and the basic principles of Agenda 21 requires policy adjustments and an integrated approach. The present situation shows that inequalities in development opportunities and resource distribution have resulted in depriving local people of decision making in the management of the local environment. Locally acceptable appropriate technologies have been withdrawn with the introduction of externally developed ones. The question in hand is not simply related to the adoption of Agenda 21 alone, but is a matter of restoring local initiatives. Resources and benefits from development are unequally distributed and, as a result, the scope in which the deprived sectors may act is marginal.
