ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the topic of environmental protection in Sri Lanka through a critical legal lens. Firstly, it critically explores the dominant narratives constructed by legal scholars about the history of environmental protection in Sri Lanka. Secondly, it examines why environmental protection is a continuing challenge in the context of Sri Lanka's relatively well-developed legal and institutional framework. Thirdly, it discusses some areas of study in the realm of environmental protection which may require critical legal reflection in the future. The chapter stresses that the law is a useful but limited tool with which the environment can be protected.
