March 20, 2025
THIMPHU – As climate change affects Bhutan’s mountainous landscape, entire communities are being forced to relocate. Last year, around 72 households from Thangza-Toenchoe chiwogs in Lunana, a remote glacial region, were displaced due to the escalating risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). They were resettled in Damthangkha, Bayza-Gangjuk, and Dungbiteng.
The newly established settlement, just 1.5 kilometres from their previous homes, now houses nearly 500 people. While basic services have been set up, infrastructure remains insufficient, leaving many in precarious conditions.
Similarly, the Jasabi flood in Lhuentse, which claimed five lives in 2022, forced the entire village to relocate.
These incidents underscore Bhutan’s vulnerability to climate change, which is exacerbated by the country’s rugged terrain, sharp altitudinal variations, and fragile ecosystems.
These challenges were a key focus at the ‘Bhutan Conference: Climate and Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Development—Policy, Investment, and Innovation,’ which concluded yesterday.
The four-day event, co-organised by the Asian Development Bank Institute and the College of Natural Resources, brought together experts from Bhutan, India, and Nepal to discuss solutions.
Dr Pema Gyamtsho (PhD), the director general of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, warned of alarming trends in glacial melt.
Presenting findings from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, he highlighted that over 90 percent of the region’s river systems—including Bhutan’s—will be impacted by glacial retreat and snowmelt disruptions. “Although carbon sequestration in Bhutan is about three times greater than its national greenhouse gas emissions, the country still faces the brunt of climate change impacts.”
Glacial mass loss has significantly increased by 65 percent since 2010 compared to the previous decade. “By 2100, only 50 percent of the glaciers will remain if the warming rate reaches 2 degrees,” Dr Pema Gyamtsho said. “There are over 50,000 glaciers in the HKH region, however, only 28 have field monitoring systems.”
The consequences of this will be dire—not only for water security but also for Bhutan’s hydropower sector, which forms the backbone of its economy.
“With the rise in water melt, the risk of GLOFs and flash floods may potentially wipe out billions of dollars in hydropower investments, threatening the transition to renewable energy,” he warned. “Further, the risks of settlements being wiped out, along with destruction to agriculture and infrastructure, will be high.”
Challenges
Climate change impacts severely undermine Bhutan’s efforts to attain critical development pathways to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For instance, as of April 2023, nearly 1,856 drinking water sources across the country had dried up.
Inaccessible and sparse hydro-meteorological data make it difficult to understand the interactions between natural ecosystems and the social dynamics of climate impacts.
Since 1985, Bhutan has endured over a dozen major climate-related disasters.
The HKH assessment report reveals that warming in the Himalayas will be higher than in other regions. Bhutan’s geography, spanning from subtropical lowlands to icy Himalayan peaks, within a range of 150 km, makes it particularly susceptible to extreme weather.
The increase in natural hazards and extreme events in the country in the recent past are also associated with temperature rise.
Glaciers account for about 3.4 percent of the country’s total surface area. There are a total of 677 glaciers and 2,674 glacial lakes in Bhutan.
Climate change and agriculture
Climate change can have a negative impact on agricultural systems, particularly farming on mountainous and steep slopes.
Over half of Bhutan’s farmers practice subsistence farming on steep slopes, making them highly vulnerable to erratic weather patterns.
Rising temperatures are also fueling new outbreaks of pests and livestock diseases, further straining food security.
Despite Bhutan’s investments in water infrastructure and land management, experts argue that climate adaptation remains underfunded. With a small economy and competing development priorities, the country struggles to mobilise sufficient resources to combat climate threats.
Quality and reliable climate data are equally crucial for forecasting and targeting advisories to support farmers with appropriate local actions. However, technical capacities among the hydromet, agriculture, and local governments remain inadequate.
Rapid urbanisation adds to the complexity, requiring climate-proofing of existing cities while planning for future expansion.
The government’s 2023 National Adaptation Plan identifies seven priority sectors: water, agriculture and livestock, forests and biodiversity, human settlements and climate-smart cities, health, energy, climate services, and disaster risk reduction.
While Bhutan has achieved significant progress in renewable energy, it has failed in climate action programmes. Furthermore, the country has not yet developed its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) for 2025, which should be presented to the UN by September this year.
Solutions
Experts at the conference emphasised the urgent need for stronger disaster preparedness, particularly through early warning systems and check dam construction. Additionally, transboundary risk assessments and information sharing can help in better planning.
“A boost in adaptation financing and targeting where it matters most would ensure efficient utilization of the budget,” Dr Pema Gyamtsho said. “Further, tackling air pollution through transitioning to clean, green technologies is a win-win measure.”
Another measure he suggested is quantifying economic costs to advocate more for loss and damage finance. “This also means decarbonising now—reducing carbon emissions, which has multiple related benefits.”
Dr Pema Gyamtsho also called for stronger national and regional collaborations to amplify regional voices on the global stage.