Climate Change Adaptation Plan of the Protected Areas of Bhutan (2022–2032).

This Climate Change Adaptation Plan (Plan) provides a ten-year framework for strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and communities across Bhutan’s protected-area network. Protected areas cover about 51% of Bhutan’s territory and support approximately 12,000 rural households who play a vital role in ensuring the conservation of Protected Areas. The Plan aims to protect biodiversity while reducing the vulnerability of communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on forests, agriculture, livestock and other climate-sensitive natural resources.
The Plan is based on community vulnerability assessments conducted across 10 national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserves, together with four biological corridors. The assessment examined exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity and identified landslides, flash floods, seasonal and erratic rainfall, droughts, windstorms and temperature extremes as the main climate hazards. Human–wildlife conflict, declining drinking and irrigation water, changes in forest composition, loss of pasture, crop and livestock losses, weak infrastructure and limited access to financial, technical, health and market services further increase community vulnerability. Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary was identified as the most vulnerable area, while Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary showed the highest adaptive capacity and lowest overall vulnerability.
The strategies and interventions laid down by the Plan include protecting and restoring water sources, watersheds and catchments; constructing and improving drinking-water, irrigation and water-storage systems; promoting climate-smart agriculture through resilient seeds, improved livestock breeds, greenhouses, farm mechanisation and sustainable land management; and reducing human–wildlife conflict through electric or chain-link fencing, quick-response teams, compensation and insurance schemes. Other interventions include landslide and flood-control structures, riverbank protection, slope stabilisation, bioengineering and climate-resilient roads and buildings; restoration of degraded forests, native-species planting, invasive-species control and improved pasture and alpine-habitat management; and livelihood diversification through ecotourism, forest products, community enterprises, vocational training and improved market access. The interventions are localised for individual Gewogs and Chiwogs and include proposed lead agencies, partners, timelines, budgets, indicators and possible risks of maladaptation.
Implementation is intended to be led jointly by protected-area offices, local governments, communities and sectoral agencies responsible for forestry, agriculture, livestock, water, health, engineering and disaster management. The priorities are to be integrated into local and national Five-Year Plans, protected-area management plans, the National Adaptation Plan, human–wildlife conflict programmes and disaster-risk-management strategies. Funding may be mobilised through government allocations, Bhutan for Life, the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility, international climate-finance mechanisms and support from conservation organisations.