Background: The most significant impact of climate change in Bhutan is the formation of supra-glacial lakes due to the accelerated retreat of glaciers with increasing temperatures. Glaciers in Bhutan are receding at a rate of 30-60 meters per decade. The melting ice from these receding glaciers is increasing the volume of water in glacial lakes, and the melting of ice-core dams is destabilizing them, pushing the hazard risk for Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) to critical levels. The risk of potential disasters inflicted by GLOFs, pose new threats to lives, livelihoods and development. The risks are mounting as water levels in several glacier lakes approach critical geostatic thresholds. A significant portion of the country’s revenue projected to 60% is derived from hydropower, which has involved huge investments in infrastructure and requires sustainable water resources. Other sectors are also highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Agriculture in Bhutan provides livelihoods and employment to 79% of the population. The majority of the people practice subsistence farming on small marginal land holdings which are extremely vulnerable to flood impacts .
Project As a follow up to the UNDP-supported National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA, 2006), Bhutan is currently implementing the first project funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund on Climate Change Adaptation titled “Reducing climate change induced risks and vulnerabilities from glacial lake outburst floods in the Punakha, Wangdue and Chamkhar Valleys”. The project is addressing climate risks in two Sub Basins - Pho Chhu and Chamkhar Chhu - which represent the two most GLOF-vulnerable areas in the country and pose a major threat to life and infrastructure in downstream communities. Approximately 10% of the Bhutanese population lives in these two areas. The Pho Chhu flows into Puna Tshang Chhu, the country's longest river, along which there are emerging townships, important historical structures, major hydropower projects, farmland, and public infrastructure projects. The Chamkhar valley is an important emerging urban, tourist, and economic hub. The goal of the project is to enhance adaptive capacity to prevent climate change-induced GLOF disasters in Bhutan. The development objective of the project is to reduce climate change-induced risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Punakha-Wangdue and Chamkhar Valleys.
