Bhutan’s Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Resilient Development Strategy (LTS).

This Bhutan’s Long-Term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Resilient Development Strategy is a multi-sectoral policy document at the national level.
According to Article 4, paragraph 19 of the Paris Agreement, Bhutan has undertaken the task of developing the “Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Development Strategy” (LTS) with the objective of remaining carbon neutral for all times to come as pledged at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC) and subsequently reiterated in all the COPs and Meeting of Parties (MOPs) of the Paris Agreement. The secondary objective of the LTS is to decouple socio-economic growth in the form of GDP, employment, and an improved balance of payment from GHG emissions. The LTS is also developed to identify key interventions to ensure that socio-economic development remains carbon resilient and required adaptation measures are developed for vulnerable sectors as identified in Bhutan’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC. Considering the importance of adaptation in the context of Bhutan with its tough geographic terrain, limited mineral resources, and dependence on a few economic activities, the adaptation measures cover the sectors of energy, water resources, agriculture, transport, and human health.
To enhance food security through climate-resilient agriculture and livestock development, the key vulnerabilities due to extreme weather events, water availability for agriculture, climate-induced pests and diseases and natural disasters, loss of soil fertility, human-wildlife conflict and difficulties of crops and livestock to adapt to a rapidly changing climate are addressed through various interventions. These interventions include innovative irrigation infrastructure, improved breed of livestock animals, crop insurance schemes, etc. For the forest and biodiversity sector, adaptation measures include policy measures, increased research and monitoring, prevention and management of wildfires as well as pest and disease management.
Climate change creates the dual problem of water scarcity as well as water abundance in the form of GLOF and floods. The main issue is the change in seasonal precipitation, temperature, and wind speed and these are to be addressed through interventions such as enhanced weather and climate observation, development of watershed and river management plans, lowering levels of dangerous glacial lakes, early warning systems and innovative water technologies including drip irrigation and pressurized water distribution systems.