Hemantha Withanage

Hemantha Withanage (he/him), a Sri Lankan national, has been advocating for environmental issues over three decades. He holds a science degree from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and joined the Environmental Foundation in 1990. In 2004, he co-founded the Centre for Environmental Justice, which is now the most prominent environmental organization in Sri Lanka, working from both the law and science fronts. From 2005-2008, Hemantha served as the Executive Director of the Philippines-based NGO Forum on ADB, a network of civil society organizations monitoring the Asian Development Bank. He has also been elected as the International Convenor for the same organization multiple times. Currently, he serves as the Chair of Friends of the Earth International.