Climate Change and Hydrological Perspective of Bhutan

Abstract

Climate change recognized as a reality has cast a formidable challenge to the human race in terms of coping with its commonly understood as well as uncertain impacts. Several studies around the globe have shown that climatic change is likely to impact significantly all major aspects of the environment and consequently human life. Bhutan, located in the rugged Eastern Himalayan Terrain, one of the most environmentally pristine regions, has been identified as exceptionally vulnerable to climate change-induced changes. Among the biggest impacts of these changes would be to the hydrological system of Bhutan, which remains the capital resource of the country. The three major drivers of Bhutan's economy, viz. agriculture, hydropower, and tourism, directly or indirectly rely on this capital resource for its sustenance. Hence, it remains important for Bhutan and countries alike, to safeguard and protect their hydrological resources. Bhutan's water resources that are being discussed in this paper are at serious threat due to projected climate change impacts. The region deserves urgent and an extensive study to understand the nature and magnitude of the impacts. Recognizing the imminent impacts, mitigation, and adaptation too has to go hand in hand. However, inadequate and partially accessible sensitive data has created a great setback for sound research. In this paper, an assessment of the impact of climate change on the different sectors in Bhutan has been made based on published literature, along with exploring possible ways of overcoming the hurdles in the way of finding potential mitigation and adaptation strategies that are realistic, affordable, and practicable for a region that can do even more in environmental governance with improved institutional mechanism.