Dr Ranjith Punyawardena has over three decades of work experience in climatology and agro-climatology, agro-ecology, climate change and adaptation to climate change, climate vulnerability and disaster risk reduction at national and international level. He is Chairman of the National Steering Committee on Climate Change Adaptation, Ministry of Environment, Government of Sri Lanka, works as a Senior Technical Expert with SLYCAN Trust, and has been technical advisor and consultant for international agencies like IUCN, ILO, UN, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, World Food Programme, UNDP, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), FAO, and national agencies including the Ministry of Disaster Management, Ministry of Forestry and Environment. He holds a Ph.D in Climatological Modeling from Lincoln University, New Zealand and an M.Phil in Soil Science from the University of Peradeniya.