Presentation by Ugyen Dorji and Netra Sharma, UNDP Bhutan, as part of the webinar " Strengthening Alignment Between Adaptation to Climate Change – Disaster Risk Management – Sustainable Development", held on March 04, 2020.

1. Bhutan
• Carbon negative country
• Development philosophy of GNH
• 71 % of the country under forest
coverage
• Fragile mountainous landscape
• Landlocked & least developed
country
• Heavy dependence on climate
sensitive sectors
• Low level of economic
diversification
• Large areas of glaciers and glacial
lakes

2. Current Vulnerabilities
• Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
• due to temperature rise
• Land Degradation
• Landslides, erosion due
changes into weather patterns,
high intensity rainfall, cyclones
• Flashfloods
• Intense rainfall periods,
cyclones
• Pests and diseases
• Droughts
• Drying water sources due to
temperature rise, longer
intervals between rains

3. National Adaptation
Programme of Action
Projects (since 2008)
Enhancing resilience
to GLOF ( artificial
lowering and EWS)
Flood Protection
works
Landslide
stabilization
Enhancing National
Capacity for
Weather and
Seasonal
Forecasting in
Bhutan
Community based
food security

4. NAPProcess
Approved 8 Dec 2018

5. Project Title : Preparation of a
National Adaptation Plan (NAP)
for Bhutan, with a focus on the
water sector
Total amount: USD 2,764,847.26
Project duration: 48 months
Donor: Green Climate Fund
(GCF)
Implementing Partner: UNDP
Partners:
Led by NECS and in
collaborations with GNHC, MoAF,
MoHCA, NCHM, CSO and
academia

6. Why build NAP-SDG/NP synergies?
• Improve development
practice and outcomes
• Improve access and use
finance for adaptation
• Helps implementation of
the Paris Agreement
• Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs)

7. NP, SDG and
NAP linkages
• A focussed group dialogue on identifying key
opportunities and risks that climate change
poses to the NP/SDGs with stakeholders
from government agencies, academia, and
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
• Groups deliberated on each NKRA and its
strategy, and the possible opportunities and
risks that climate change had on them
• To identify and analyze linkages between
SDGs targets and adaptation planning for
Bhutan, including opportunities for improved
synergies;

8. Findings
• Climate variability and change pose risks across all
sectors: biodiversity, economic systems, human
health, resources and ecosystems, social and
cultural systems.
• The NKRAs/SDGs provide opportunities for
addressing these risks.
• A key objective of the NAP process should be to
reduce the risks and take advantage of the
opportunities provided by NKRAs /SDGs.
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and
production
• SDG 15: Life below water
• SDG 17: Partnership for goals
• Two NKRAs ( Sustainable water and Human
Settlements) were identified as entry points for
fostering greater complementarity between NAP
and SDGs/NP

9. NKRA 17: Sustainable Water
SDG [6]: Clean Water and Sanitation
Agencies: MoWHS, NECS, GNHCS, MoHCA, NLC, MoIC, LGs, MoH
Strategies at
NKRA level
Stocktaking
Climate
information
Human and
Institutional
Capacity
Long-term
vision and
Mandate
Governance
(implementati
on/
integration)
Participation Monitoring &
Evaluation
● Building and
rehabilitating
adequate and
climate resilient
water infrastructure.
● Improving
drinking water
quality and safety.
● Providing
adequate irrigation
water.
● Implementing
water legislation
and governance.
● Exploring creation
of a dedicated
water agency.
Engage with
NCHM for
addressing
vulnerability
assessments
for future
national water
availability
Strengthen
capacities for
coordination
whereby NEC
should create
a platform for
players to
cooperate and
interact to
systematically
plan,
implement,
maintain and
update
information,
and report for
CCA in water
sector
There is long
term vision
and mandate
available
under Bhutan
Water Policy,
Water Act
2011
Water
Flagship
programme
has adequate
and climate
resilient
infrastructure
as one of its
strategy
●Developing
Water User
Associations
for community
participation
are included in
activities
● The
dedicated
water agency
can have
participation
from various
levels of
governments,
as well as for
community
and CSO
involvement
● The NKRA
is translated
down to
department
level KPI,
AKRA for
MoWHS
● Not all
required
indicators are
systematically
collected and
updated

10. Linkages to UN/UNDP programme
documents
UNDP Strategic Plan Output: 2.3.1 Data and risk-informed development
policies, plans, systems and financing incorporate integrated solutions to
reduce disaster risks, enable climate change adaptation and mitigation,
and prevent crisis
UNSDPF Outcome 4/UNDP CPD Outcome 2: By 2023, Bhutan’s
vulnerable communities and its economy are more resilient to climate-
induced and other disasters and biodiversity loss