Bhutan today: In what will be the biggest adaptation project to be implemented by Bhutan, the National Environment Commission (NEC) is developing the second phase of the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) which is estimated to cost about USD 12 million.
NAPA is a mechanism under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to address the immediate and urgent adaptation needs of the least developed countries in response to adverse impacts of climate change. The project will be implemented by various government agencies, NGOs and even private organizations in the 11th five year plan.
This was revealed in a workshop held in Thimphu on August 22. Speaking at the workshop, the NEC Secretary, Dr Ugyen Tshewang said preparation of addressing the risk of climate induced disasters through enhanced national and local capacity for effective actions is one of the largest climate change adaptation projects in the world.
“The project will have immense benefits to the numerous communities and areas in Bhutan currently affected by climate risk and vulnerabilities such as shortage of water, floods, landslides and other uncertainties of climate risk,” said Dr Ugyen Tshewang. He said while the project will be implemented in line with the 11th five year plan national objectives for “climate resilient development”, it will also be a significant activity for some sectors.
Yusuke Taishi, the regional technical specialist under climate change adaptation of the UNDP, said the programme concepts have been approved by the funding source and that the inception meeting was held to initiate the preparatory phase of the project. “We are going to spend whole one year preparing document for the project and project implementation will take for almost five years,” he said.
A climate change adaptation consultant said the project will be taken up in the areas identified by the government. The priority activities of the project include dealing with landslide areas at Phuentsholing, and Pasakha.
He said the geological mapping of Phuentsholing expounds that further damages can be stabilized in the area with appropriate adaptation measures. “The main objective of the project is to contain the landslides risk in Phuentsholing area,” he said.
Bhutan’s first NAPA project titled “Reducing Climate Change- Induced Risk and Vulnerabilities from Glacial Lake outburst Floods in the Punakha-Wangdi and Chamkhar valleys” is in the final phase of implementation.
