World Bank assesses Bhutan’s environmental risk management
YK Poudel
Bhutan’s environmental conservation framework lacks clarity in addressing development projects’ impacts on habitats, the link between biodiversity laws and development is brittle, and gaps were identified in the biodiversity management plan.
These are some of the challenges in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of living natural resources.
An Overview Assessment (OA) report titled ‘Bhutan: Overview Assessment of Country’s Framework for Assessing and Managing Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts of Development Projects’ produced by the World Bank was launched on June 13.
The environmental and social standards (ESS) include studies on the assessment and management of environmental risks and impacts, labour and working conditions, addressing resource efficiency and pollution management, community health and safety, land acquisition, restrictions on land use and involuntary resettlement, indigenous people, safeguarding cultural heritage, and stakeholder engagement for information disclosure.
Presenting the overview assessment, the lead environment specialist of the World Bank, Joe Tuyor, said that the World Bank will support policy reforms and governance mechanisms for environmental and social (ES) risk management.
“The biodiversity laws and policies, adequate plans for protection and involvement are strengths for Bhutan,” he said. “The national designated agency of the country should include EIA guidelines including screening, assessment and initiation of projects.”
He said: “Bhutan’s biodiversity laws have provisions for protecting ecologically sensitive areas but there are several lapses to be addressed.”
Recommendations in the OA, he said, for building systems that address these risks are actionable, incremental, and identify areas where progress can be achieved in policy, procedures, and resources, and where coordination is required across agencies to address shared risks.
Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR), Karma Tshering, said that the overview assessment is a crucial tool that evaluates Bhutan’s existing policy, legal, and institutional systems for addressing risks and impacts.
“The national policies and programs have helped Bhutan in maintaining 52 percent of the total area under protected areas, and 69.71 percent forest coverage achieving a carbon-neutral state,” he said.
Resident representative of the World Bank, Adama Coulibaly, said that the assessment report will enable various agencies in Bhutan with similar mandates to work collaboratively and make use of the recommendations.
“Bhutan has comprehensive policies on social risks and impacts, which are supported by the Constitution. These strengths can be framed well to gain long-term and sustainable impacts,” he said.
Bhutan has achieved remarkable economic growth while maintaining its reputation as an environmentally conscious nation, transitioning from a least-developed country to a lower-middle-income country in 2023. Bhutan’s reliance on its natural resource base, with ambitions to double its GDP by 2029, is focusing on sectors like agriculture, mining, tourism, and infrastructure, as outlined in its 13th Plan.
Over the years, Bhutan has faced several environmental concerns like air pollution and municipal waste management issues.
Thus far, policies and Acts such as the National Environmental Protection Act 2007, the Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan 2023, and the Environmental Assessment Act of Bhutan 2000 have been instrumental in the national efforts.
With World Bank financing and technical support, Bhutan is making economic progress across vital sectors including food security and agricultural productivity, human capital, sustainable hydropower, transport and connectivity, emergency response, and disaster resilience.