PROF. DR. PRASANTHI GUNAWARDENA
Resource Economics Unit
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Nugegoda (Sri Lanka)
E-mail: prasanth@sjp.ac.lk
Webpage(s): http://science.sjp.ac.lk/fes/dr-prasanthi-gunawardene/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=E7roJZEAAAAJ&hl=en
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5945-3501
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prasanthi-Gunawardena
Scopus ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=35098534300
Areas of Expertise
Environmental Economics, Cost Benefit Analysis, Ecological Economics, Life cycle analysis, Ecosystem Accounting, Environmental ethics
Brief Bio
For nearly 23 years I have been applying environmental valuation techniques in natural environment and pollution damage contexts.
My PhD is on the subject of Environmental Economics with the title of ‘Economic evaluation of conservation benefits: A case study of Sinharaja Rain Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka’ awarded by the University of Edinburgh, UK.
I have published in the areas of energy economics, cost benefit analysis, payments for ecosystem services and sustainability assessment.
I have been the Lead consultant for the Integration of the Forestry Sector Contribution to the System of National Accounts in Sri Lanka, a project of Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka. I have engaged as a cost benefit analysis specialist in large number of development projects and programmes.
Recently I have engaged in estimating environmental externalities related to thermal power in Sri Lanka. Currently I am leading the Natural Resource Damage Assessment related to the X Press Pearl ship accident.
Publications (Weblink only), if any:
- Gunawardena, U. A. D. P. (2010) Inequalities and externalities of power sector: A case of Broadlands hydropower project in Sri Lanka. Energy Policy 38, 726-734
http://192.248.32.11/bitstream/handle/123456789/7024/Inequalities%20and%20externalities%20of%20power%20sector%20A%20case%20
of%20Broadlands%20hydropower%20project%20in%20Sri%20Lanka.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y - Munasinghe, E. S., Rodrigo, V. H. L. & Gunawardena, U. A. D. P. (2013) Modus Operandi In Assessing Biomass and Carbon In Rubber Plantations Under Varying Climatic Conditions. Experimental Agriculture, Vol 50, 1, pp. 40-58
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/E-Munasinghe/publication/259438263_Modus_operandi_in_assessing_biomass_and_carbon_in_rubber_plantations_under_varying_climatic
_conditions/links/02e7e53c4be023797c000000/Modus-operandi-in-assessing-biomass-and-carbon-in-rubber-plantations-under-varying-climatic-conditions.pdf - Udayakumara E.P.N., & Gunawardena, U. A. D. P. (2018) Cost benefit analysis of Samanalawewa hydroelectric project in Sri Lanka: An ex post analysis, Earth systems and Environment, 2:401–412
https://www.kau.edu.sa/Files/902888/Files/159810_sriLanka.pdf - Rathnayake, R. M. W. & Gunawardena, U. A. D. P. (2014) Social Carrying Capacity of Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, Vol 35
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prasanthi-Gunawardena/publication/269947937_Social_carrying_capacity_of_the_Horton_plains_national_park_Sri_Lanka/links/5d5cd3f692851c
37636e6298/Social-carrying-capacity-of-the-Horton-plains-national-park-Sri-Lanka.pdf
