National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2023.

The purpose of this National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is: to protect the health, lives, livelihoods and happiness of the people of Bhutan from the adverse impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacity and enhancing resilience to reduce vulnerability and by integrating adaptation actions into the development planning process at all levels.
Bhutan’s mountainous terrain and reliance on climate-sensitive sectors like hydropower and agriculture make it particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Observed and projected risks include increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and more frequent extreme weather events. The NAP seeks to address the country's vulnerabilities to climate change. The principles of the NAP process are that national adaptation planning will be country driven, gender sensitive, participatory, and fully transparent, taking into consideration vulnerable groups, communities, and ecosystems. The objectives of the NAP process are to: 1. Ensure a continuous, progressive, and iterative process to assess the vulnerability and adaptation needs across all sectors and levels in Bhutan recognising the special needs of vulnerable groups through the National Adaptation Plan process. 2. Promote the integration of climate change adaptation planning and implementation of adaptation actions into national and local level plans where possible. 3. Enhance the climate information and knowledge system to support a long-term, iterative process of adaptation planning and implementation. 4. Assess progress in adaptation including measurement of resilience and to climate change. Adaptation priorities are identified across sectors: 1. Water: Securing and managing natural water sources, managing agricultural water use, ensuring optimal use and management of water for drinking and improving water management systems. 2. Agriculture and Livestock: The adaptation priorities for both agriculture and livestock are grouped in interventions for securing the resource base, managing losses from climate impacts and emerging threats, and enhancing resilience in food production. The interventions include integrated landscape approaches including sustainable land management, appropriate technologies, and management practices. 3. Forests and Biodiversity: Strengthening conservation efforts, reducing forest fire risks, and maintaining carbon sinks. 4. Human Settlements: Developing climate-smart cities, protecting infrastructure, and integrating green infrastructure solutions. 5. Energy Sector: Diversifying renewable energy sources and safeguarding hydropower against climate vulnerabilities. 6. Human Health: Addressing climate-sensitive diseases and improving public health resilience. In addition, the NAP proposes the Enabling Activities to support the NAP process over the long term to ensure informed and effective adaptation planning and implementation, including: Strengthening policy and institutional frameworks for climate action; Enhancing monitoring, evaluation, and climate data systems; Promoting education, capacity building, and community engagement in climate adaptation; etc.