Bhutan counting cost for a greener future
Print Edition
The gentle whirring of the wind turbine speaks volumes of Bhutan鈥檚 record as the world鈥檚 only carbon negative country, but major challenges stand in the way of the Himalayan kingdom鈥檚 decision to follow a green path over rampant economic expansion.
The mountainous state, holding only its third election on October 18, absorbs three times more CO2 than it emits, thanks mainly to the lush forests covering 72 percent of its land.
Famed as the 鈥渓ast Shangri-La鈥 for using happiness as a measure of success, Switzerland-sized Bhutan has been careful to keep its environment pristine, often by sacrificing profits.
The nation of 800,000 has restricted tourist numbers with a daily fee of US$250 per visitor in high season, helping keep at bay the kind of boom that has ravaged other scenic hotspots.
In May, Bhutan opted out of an India-backed regional road connectivity project mainly over concerns that trucks coming in from other countries will pollute its air.
The constitution stipulates that at least 60 percent of Bhutan must be covered in forest, putting a brake on farming and a potentially lucrative timber industry.
鈥淭here was a great temptation to dig into our forest wealth but we thought of the longer term,鈥 said Dasho Paljor Dorji from Bhutan鈥檚 National Environment Commission.
Under its 11th five-year-plan, Bhutan aims to reduce 鈥渟ubstantially鈥 its fossil fuel imports by 2020.
It has just 100 electric cars so far but wants to increase numbers and plans to introduce a nationwide network of charging stations.
In 2016 it installed its first wind turbines.
A walk through spick and span Thimpu 鈥 Asia鈥檚 only capital city with no traffic lights 鈥 gives a glimpse of Bhutan鈥檚 green commitment.
A rare sight in South Asia, heavy road-cleaning vehicles sweep the streets in slow circular motions, while trucks collect organic waste from households.
Just two hours away in Punakha district, earth movers and bulldozers are chugging away at a hydropower project.
It is one of the 10 country aims to build as part of its plan to remain carbon neutral.
All existing and future hydropower projects are financed by its friend and biggest partner India.
Exporting hydropower
Hydropower was also Bhutan鈥檚 largest export in 2016, accounting for 32.4 percent of the country鈥檚 total exports and 8 percent of its GDP, according to the Asian Development Bank.
All of the energy currently goes to India but there are plans to export also to Bangladesh.
But concerns have been growing over the impact of dams on biodiversity especially as Bhutan shifts from low-impact 鈥渞un-of-the-river鈥 dams, which do not require large reservoirs, to larger-scale barriers that do.
And being able to afford staying on a green path depends on Bhutan receiving outside funding, something in doubt since President Donald Trump announced last year that the US would withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate accord.
Under that accord, wealthy nations agreed to establish an annual US$100-billion fund to help developing nations adapt to a heating planet.
Bhutan is keenly feeling the ravages of climate change, from melting glaciers, changing crop patterns to the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
Temperatures have started touching 30 degrees Celsius alarming locals unused to heat and humidity.
鈥淓ven the snowfall pattern has changed,鈥 Tenzin Wangmo, Bhutan鈥檚 chief environment officer, said.
鈥淓arlier it would snow for a few days, now it doesn鈥檛 even last a day.鈥
Wangmo said the warmer climes meant paddy fields dot places like Bumthang that never grew rice in the past.
鈥淐limate change is not in our control. We haven鈥檛 done anything but we are paying a heavy price,鈥 she said.
Furthermore, new drainage systems required to prevent flooding downstream require the deployment of workers in remote areas high in the mountains, Wangmo explained.
鈥淎 lot of money and manpower is needed for such measures,鈥 Wangmo said. 鈥淏ut where is the funding and capacity-building?鈥
A Green Climate Fund (GCF) delegation that visited Bhutan in August said it would help the country鈥檚 progress on a low-emission and climate-resilient path.
鈥淚 think Bhutan鈥檚 contribution to the global community through keeping its carbon sinks intact, its nature as pristine as possible is a great one,鈥 said Dorji. 鈥淥ur cause is worth supporting. We should be rewarded equally, if not more.鈥
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