Current Environmental Initiatives in Bhutan

The following are examples of current organizations, policies and practices in place in Bhutan

• The Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, created to provide continual financial support for conservation.
   
• The Nature Conservation Division within the Department of Forestry Services, with a mandate to oversee and manage the “Protected Areas” system.
   
• A mandate to maintain at least 60 percent of land under forest cover, in perpetuity.
   
• Signing of the convention of Biological Diversity and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio De Janeiro in 1992.
   
• Enacting the National Plant Quarantine Act in 1993 to control the movement of diseases, insects and other pests.
   
• Ratifying the international conventions on Biological Diversity and Climate Change in 1995.
   
• Adopting the National Biodiversity Action Plan in 1998 to implement conservation strategies.
   
• Implementing the Middle Path, a National Environmental Strategy to balance economic growth and environmental concerns; adopted in 1998.
   
• Initiating a National Biodiversity Program in 1998 to oversee conservation, sustainable resource use and an equitable distribution of benefits from biodiversity.
   
• Requiring Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for all development and industrial activities, legislated in 2000.

Current government organizations and positions include:

The National Environment Commission (NEC)

The NEC is a high-level policymaking body that oversees all cross-sectoral activities related to the environment in the Bhutan. It has a senior committee including the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Trade and Industry, the Deputy Minister of the National Environment Commission, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Joint Secretary of Forests.
 

Nature Conservation Section in the Forest Services Division

This organization is responsible for conservation activities around the country. It has drawn up forest management plans and formulated the Biodiversity Action Plan.
 

Sustainable Development Secretariat

This is a division within the Ministry of Planning, formed after Bhutan entered the sustainable development partnership based on reciprocity and equity with the Netherlands, Benin and Costa Rica. Under this treaty signed in March 1994, the government of the Netherlands provides US$ 3 million per annum for projects in culture, biodiversity, renewable natural resources and energy.