The Suja & Dzaw Conversation on the 21st edition of the Druk Journal around the theme, “Climate Change in Bhutan: Impact and Response,” was held on 8th May 2025 at the College of Natural Resources in Lobesa. Around 95 participants, including students, educators/faculty members from CNR, Punakha Central School, and Ugyen Academy, gathered for an engaging conversation, moderated by the journal editor, Dasho Kinley Dorji.

The spring 2025 issue explores a critical paradox faced by Bhutan – being proudly carbon- negative, yet increasingly vulnerable to global climate change. Articles by scholars, experts, policymakers, and environmentalists provide insights into some key challenges, specific problems, and the country’s innovative responses.

Four of the 15 contributors to this issue of The Druk Journal presented key insights from their article during the conversation: Tashi Choden (Planning Officer, Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet), Singay Dorji (Chief, National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology), Yangyel Lhaden (Reporter, Kuensel) and Pema Eden (Ph.D student, College of Natural Resources).

Speaker Highlights

Speaker One: Tashi Choden, Planning Officer
Tashi Choden presented on Bhutan’s role in the G-Zero Forum, an alliance among carbon-sink nations—Bhutan, Panama, Madagascar, and Suriname. The initiative aims to foster cooperation among these countries, advocate for shared climate responsibility, and create a collaborative platform for knowledge exchange. The speaker outlined Bhutan’s proposal to host the G-Zero Summit and form a permanent secretariat in Bhutan, with the Prime Minister’s Office exploring funding through partner contributors. Key issues discussed included carbon trading mechanisms and access to climate financing.

Speaker Two: Singay Dorji, Chief Officer
Dr.Singay Dorji presented scientific data on Bhutan’s climate trends, noting that 2024 was recorded as the warmest year, with projections indicating increasing extreme weather events, particularly in Eastern Bhutan. Data from weather stations show a rising trend in both temperature and rainfall, especially in the central and northern regions. Limitations of the data include socio-economic variability and the uncertainties of General Circulation Models (GCMs). The discussion underscored the need for localized data, early warning systems, and the integration of scientific findings into national policy frameworks.

Speaker Three: Yangyel Lhaden, Reporter
The speaker reflected on her experience at COP29, emphasizing the Global South’s demand for climate justice and the need for financial support from developed nations, particularly in light of the unfulfilled USD 100 billion climate finance pledge. She also highlighted the setback of the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. In the Bhutanese context, she noted that women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to entrenched gender roles, especially in areas like water scarcity and household responsibilities.

Speaker Four: Pema Eden, PhD Student
Pema Eden delivered a compelling presentation on Bhutan’s melting glaciers, contrasting satellite images from 2004 and 2024 to illustrate receding snowlines. She pointed out the heightened risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), especially at Lugye Tsho. The melting glaciers significantly impact communities dependent on them for agriculture, clean water, and overall well-being.

Way forward
The discussions emphasised Bhutan’s continued effort to advance carbon neutrality through strategic planning and international collaboration, for the upcoming G-zero forum. Concerns were raised about the inequity Bhutan faces as it bears the consequences of climate change despite its minimal emissions. However, steps are being taken to establish a national secretariat and creating technical panels to prepare for COP-30 in 2026. Bhutan is also exploring carbon trading mechanisms and enhancing its measurement capabilities, although a formal system is yet to be established. In terms of climate science, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology highlighted its effort to improve early warning systems and data integration into national planning, despite existing gaps in accessibility and awareness at the grassroot level.

Recommendations from the conversation
● To effectively address the growing challenges of climate change, the participants recommended inclusive policy processes that involve CSOs and marginalised sections of the community, especially women, who are more vulnerable due to socio-cultural norms.

● Enhanced communication strategies were identified as a critical need to relay critical scientific information to the farmers and the rural communities without access to such information.

● Participants advocated for community-led environmental initiatives particularly around waste management and legalising scrap dealing. Much of Bhutan’s scrap and waste are taken to India.

● Participants’ efforts to adopt streams and keep them clean encounter challenges from local communities indicating a need to work more widely with local communities in such green efforts to make them more sustainable. A CNR student noted that while the college club cleans the community stream it is dirtied within a few days by a lack of civic consciousness amongst residents.

● It was suggested that baseline data on Bhutan’s carbon footprint be prioritised, and that education in schools to go beyond ‘book knowledge’ and to pay attention to actualising student’s genuine understanding and concern for climate issues through awareness and action eg. not littering, conscious use of plastics etc. Each student should learn about his/her carbon footprint and its impact on Bhutan/ global environment.

● Conversation discussions called for an increased investment in adaptive infrastructure, such as glacial lake outburst mitigation and drought resilience in vulnerable regions like Eastern Bhutan.

Feedback and Testimonials on the Conversation

“Attending the Druk Journal Conversation on “Climate Change in Bhutan: Impact and Response” was a truly enriching experience. The session was interactive and engaging, with each speaker bringing unique insights. The presentation on the outcomes of COP29 introduced the concept of G-Zero world, offering a new perspective on global climate policies. Others spoke on climate projection, glacier melt, and climate financing, topics that felt both timely and relevant for us. What stood out was how some speakers used storytelling to explain complex issues, making the discussions more relatable and easier to understand. ”

Rinchen Dema
4th Year Student
BSc. Environment and Climate Studies, CNR

“The Druk Journal’s latest issue on Climate Change in Bhutan is a wonderful and important read. It talks about how Bhutan, despite being carbon-negative, is still facing the effects of global climate change. The discussion held at CNR was a great example of bringing people together to share ideas and solutions. Discussions revolved around how young people can play their part in achieving broader climate goals for Bhutan and globally. I am truly grateful to the Druk Journal for creating this space for learning and discussion. I look forward to reading as many articles as possible from this 21st issue.”

Bishnu Kumar Adhikari
Student
College of Natural Resources

This edition of The Druk Journal and the Conversation were made possible with support from the Karuna Foundation and the Bhutan Foundation.