Habitat degradation, pollution, and over-exploitation have threatened Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity, which contains high levels of endemism. Moreover, an economic crisis that began in 2019 made it challenging to increase public funding for biodiversity. The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated this situation and added pressure to the livelihoods of those dependent on tourism.

While unplanned tourism expansion can be detrimental to biodiversity, the sector is also a source of opportunities for long-term conservation and local income generation. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), and other partners developed a National Sustainable Tourism Certification scheme to promote biodiversity conservation and support economic recovery.

As of June 2025, 37 hotels, one destination, and 204 small and medium enterprises were certified. BIOFIN estimates that this initiative has catalyzed USD 4.026 million in investments for biodiversity.

Ireland is known for its landscapes, influenced by agriculture, food, traditions, culture, climate and wild Atlantic location. The real influence on the Irish landscape is its geodiversity, a result of a complex geological history spanning 1.8bn years; a journey from the southern hemisphere, to the opening and closing of an ocean and the opening of a new ocean, to more recent shaping by glaciers and ice sheets. A report in 2017 showed that geotourism was worth €240m/yr to Irish economy, and over 8000 jobs. How do we support economic development of Ireland while protecting and promoting our geoheritage?

Over the last 17 years, Geological Survey Ireland, in association with local government, the Heritage Council of Ireland, and National Parks and Wildlife, has commissioned geoheritage audits of each local administration area. The audits are based on 16 geological themes; original lists of sites were drawn by panels of theme experts. This process is nearing completion, with 27 of the 31 local authority areas finished.