Colombo faces rising heat stress with limited policy response. Iromi Perera highlights the need for data-driven urban planning, green spaces, and adaptation finance to protect vulnerable outdoor workers. sundayobserver.lk/2025/07/06/bus…

Heat stress does not affect people equally. In Colombo, street vendors, cleaners & gig workers bear the brunt. Our new policy brief exposes the crisis facing outdoor workers & suggests solutions to build a cooler, fairer city. Read now: csf-asia.org/wp-content/upl…

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Looking forward to this conversation with Amita Arudpragasam Meghal Perera & Muhammad Toheed, Urban Planner! We have much to learn abt heat stress from cities like Karachi and other South Asian cities. Our new policy brief discusses how Colombo can prepare for a hotter future csf-asia.org/heat-stress-in…

This will be super interesting - please do go for it. Koni's work in South Africa is amazing, and a lot to learn for anyone working on community advocacy, oral history and storytelling, infrastructure and housing, transitional justice.

Colombo's rising heat isn't just a climate issue; it is also an economic crisis. Outdoor workers face spoiled goods, health risks, and no protection. Our policy brief reveals who bears the cost and how to respond equitably. Read more csf-asia.org/wp-content/upl…

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Public infrastructure like taps & shade can be a lifeline for Colombo's outdoor workers on days of extreme heat - but only if designed for their needs. Our policy brief on heat stress in Colombo discusses what some of these solutions could look like. 🔗bit.ly/46EQ4EX

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Colombo is at a critical juncture in urban planning and climate adaptation. Read our policy brief to understand the effect of heat stress on outdoor workers and actionable ways forward to build a climate-resilient city. Read here: 🔗bit.ly/46EQ4EX

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Looking forward to this exhibition and the week of talks and programmes. I’ll be on this weekend alongside Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, Sharni Jayawardena & Firi Rahman. Check out the full programme which includes a talk by Sujit Sivasundaram and Nira Wickremasinghe as well. linktr.ee/thecityagency?…

The first journal article from our FRESH food environments research with Institute of Development Studies is now out - Leah Salm Anisha nicholas nisbett Iromi Perera & colleagues discuss the methodology, framework, application and findings in Colombo, Sri Lanka. sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Putting each veg in a separate plastic bag is so wasteful. Companies need to do more to proactively discourage this, since it seems Sri Lankans are too stupid / selfish to think of changing behaviour on their own. Just put it all in one bag & paste sticker on an old receipt.

👇As a human, a Tamil, and a journalist, I present to you the story of #ChemmaniMassGrave💔 It has taken weeks and sleepless nights to write about what broke me. This has stories of hope, courage, and enduring pain. Thanks Kumanan Ambika Satkunanathan frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/…

NEW POLICY REPORT: We look at how Sri Lanka's polycrisis has impacted the economic, social and cultural rights of working class poor families in Colombo. Despite clear State obligations, there are persistent gaps between formal commitments and reality. csf-asia.org/covid-19-econo…

Have you read the latest edition of Colombo Urban Lab's New Publications Newsletter? Inside, you’ll find a round-up of our recent publications and articles. Read it here: mailchi.mp/bdf7f65eef55/c…

Colombo Urban Lab’s Iromi Perera will join a panel at Sri Lanka Design Festival 2025 titled "Branding Cities for People, Not Just Tourists" 🗓️ Sunday, 23 November 2025, 15.45- 16.45 📍 Level 8, The Shoppes, Cinnamon Life To learn more and register, visit srilankadesignfestival.lk

What happens when export-focused infrastructure meets everyday food realities in Colombo? Colombo Urban Lab Research Associate Meghal Perera’s article in roadsides reveals how vendors reshape the cold chain to survive. Read it here: roadsides.webflow.io/articles/8248