Bhutan Country Strategy Paper 2007-2013 - the European External ...

� Enhancing productive capacities of the poor
� Promoting balanced regional development
� Enhancing private sector development
� Expanding physical infrastructure
2.4 Environment
The Royal Government of Bhutan is keenly aware of the current and future importance of
environmental conservation. Keeping in mind potentially conflicting dynamics of conservation
and development, the government and its development partners have introduced a set of
environmental policies and programmes that aim to preserve Bhutan's rich biodiversity and guide
the country on a sustainable development trajectory.
The Country Environment Profile found that the following main threats to Bhutan’s
environment included:
� Land degradation, specifically soil erosion resulting from human activities such as livestock
herding, cultivation and over extraction of forest resources, and cumulative impacts from
farm roads.
� Air pollution in urban areas from rapidly increasing vehicle numbers, poor fuel quality,
burning of wood in bukharis and open fires.
� Water pollution, primarily in urban areas where a lack of waste water treatment facilities in
municipalities and industrial areas contribute to deterioration of water quality (in particular,
there is an increasing water pollution threat from spent oils, lubricants and other effluents
from the vehicle maintenance and repair workshops that has not yet been adequately
addressed).
� Solid waste management in urban and rural areas resulting from growing consumerism and
increasing populations.
� Climate change and natural disasters.
� Road construction and transmission lines.
In addressing key environmental challenges, the critical priorities identified by the Government are
highlighted as follows:
� Encouraging sustainable use of resources from the natural eco-system and improved land use
practices.
� Promoting greater participation and capacity development of stakeholders in natural resource
management through appropriate institutions.
� Improving rural livelihoods through increased productivity and greater access to social and
economic services, resources and opportunities.
� Strengthening environment monitoring mechanisms, enforcement procedures and awareness
among the general public and institutions.
� Upgrading environmental information management, quality standards and indicators, and
developing capacity to collect and analyse baseline data for environmental planning.
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