The Bhutanese Leading the way.
National Adaptation Plan (NAP) launched
The Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) in Bhutan marked World Ozone Day with a grand celebration at the Centre for Bhutan and GNH Studies on 16th September 2023.
The event not only acknowledged the importance of the Ozone Layer, but also saw Bhutan achieving a significant climate milestone by launching its inaugural National Adaptation Plan (NAP), underscoring its commitment to environmental sustainability and climate resilience. This achievement places Bhutan among the 16 other Least Developed Countries dedicated to climate adaptation planning.
The event celebrated the remarkable achievements of the Montreal Protocol, which has played a pivotal role in healing the Ozone Layer and combating climate change. With the theme for the year being “Montreal Protocol: Fixing the Ozone Layer and Reducing Climate Change,” the celebration emphasized the Protocol’s outstanding success as an environmental milestone.
Toxic substances harming the Ozone Layer were used as refrigerants in refrigerators in the 1920s. It was only in the 1930s that harmful CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) were discovered. CFCs were widely used in various applications, posing a severe threat to the Ozone Layer. In response to this global crisis, over 30 countries, signed the Montreal Protocol in 1987, including Bhutan in 2004, committing to phase out CFCs and later HCFCs (hydro chlorofluorocarbons).
Today, the Ozone Layer is gradually recovering, with the Antarctic ozone hole expected to fully heal in approximately 43 years. However, HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), used as replacements for CFCs and HCFCs, were found to be potent greenhouse gases. In 2019, 112 countries ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, initiating the gradual phase-down and phase-out of HFCs, starting in 2024.
Bhutan ratified the Kigali Amendment on 16 January 2019, and has ambitious plans to reduce HFC consumption by 85 percent by 2045, a move that could prevent up to 0.4 degrees Celsius of global warming by the end of the century.
While celebrating these remarkable environmental achievements, World Ozone Day also highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by climate change and called for a continued commitment to the Montreal Protocol, which not only safeguards the ozone layer, but also plays a crucial role in addressing climate change.
The event featured an art competition among primary schools and middle secondary school students across the country, aimed at educating the youth about the importance of the Ozone Layer. Their artworks vividly depicted the need to protect the Ozone Layer and its benefits, as well as the causes, effects, and preventive measures related to Ozone Layer depletion.
13-year-old Kinley Yangden Ghalley from Langthel LSS expressed her surprise and gratitude, thanking her parents and teachers for their support.
In the middle secondary category, Tandin Gyeltshen Tamang from Tashidingkha Central School took first place with his artwork depicting the destruction of the Ozone Layer due to human greed.
Other winners were Pukar Tirwa from Kilkhorthang Primary School, and Tenizn Tendrel Yangzom from Pangbang Primary School, Zhemgang.
Additionally, a selfie competition with no age limitation encouraged participants to capture clear photos of the sky, aligning with the competition’s theme.
Tandin Dorji, a 26-year-old teacher from Haa, emerged as the winner of the selfie competition, driven by his awareness of the Ozone Layer’s significance and his desire to spread the message of its importance.
Bhutan’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) solidifies Bhutan’s commitment to addressing climate challenges, even as a carbon-negative nation.
Developed with support from the Green Climate Fund and UNDP, Bhutan’s NAP integrates medium- and long-term climate adaptation priorities into the nation’s development planning. This strategic approach analyzes climate risks across seven vulnerable sectors, including water, agriculture and livestock, forests and biodiversity, human settlement and climate-smart cities, health, energy, climate services, and disaster risk reduction.
By transitioning from ad hoc, short-term adaptation projects to a more programmatic approach, Bhutan aims to enhance resilience across various facets of society, economy, and ecosystems. The NAP will guide the integration of these priorities into national, sectoral, and local development plans, notably influencing the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan.
However, the implementation of these crucial adaptation measures requires substantial technical and financial support, with an estimated $14 billion needed over the next 15 years. UNDP has pledged continued support and has already assisted in the formulation of climate projects aimed at building resilience in the water sector and urban areas.
The development of Bhutan’s NAP was a collaborative effort involving local government, central agencies, the private sector, civil society, and academia, ensuring that the plan is transparent, country-driven, gender-sensitive, and accounts for the impacts of climate change on vulnerable groups and ecosystems.
NAP aligns with the Gross National Happiness Index and its vision for climate change, seeking a prosperous, resilient, and carbon-neutral Bhutan under changing climate conditions. It also corresponds with the Climate Change Policy 2020, emphasizing ecologically balanced sustainable development.
Bhutan’s NAP builds upon its previous climate change initiatives, including the National Adaptation Programme of Action projects and its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. The plan will be updated every five years, aligning with the country’s five-year development plans, to ensure continued adaptability to climate challenges.
