Environment and Climate

Despite Bhutan’s status as a net carbon sequestrator, its fragile ecosystem and people are profoundly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Environment and Climate Initiative at Tarayana Foundation is dedicated to addressing environmental degradation and climate change impacts on the livelihoods of rural Bhutan, with a particular focus on Indigenous and disadvantaged rural communities. Given these communities’ limited adaptive capacity and coping mechanisms for climate-induced risks, our primary goal is climate change adaptation and mitigation. We prioritize sustainable environmental management and resilience-building strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, including biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, sustainable land management, springshed, wetland, and watershed management. Our approach integrates traditional ecological knowledge and innovative practices to promote sustainable livelihoods, enhance food security, and improve natural resource management. Through partnerships with local communities, government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners, Tarayana Foundation aims to foster environmental stewardship and climate resilience, ensuring the well-being and sustainability of vulnerable populations in Bhutan, especially in high climate vulnerability zones. Our interventions aim to build and enhance community capacities to cope with the impacts and risks of climate change.

The Foundation also collaborates with various partners to introduce multiple green and nature-based solutions in rural Bhutan, including fuel-efficient stoves, biogas systems, solar dryers, solar lighting, rainwater harvesting, micro-hydro projects, gravity goods ropeways, and eco-friendly construction methods. These initiatives improve residents’ quality of life by providing essential skills and raising awareness of climate-related issues, facilitating continuous development and progress. The community is actively embracing and promoting these green technologies and exploring carbon credit trading opportunities to benefit the communities.