Bhutan Climate Change Documents

The National Environment Commission of the Kingdom of Bhutan is a high-level multi-sectoral body. It is the highest decision-making and coordinating body on all matters relating to protecting, conserving, and improving the natural environment.

The mandate of the National Environment Commission is to:

• Develop, review, and revise environmental policies, plans, and programmes
• Formulate, review, and revise environmental related Laws/Acts and monitor enforcement of the same
• Mainstream environment into the country’s developmental policies, plans and programmes
• Promote environmental awareness amongst all levels of Bhutanese society, including dissemination of environmental policies, strategies, acts, rules, regulations and standards through print, audio visual and other appropriate means.
• Institutionalise the Environmental Assessment (EA) process as an integral part of the development planning process through enforcement of EA Act 2000
• Adopt, review and revise environmental standards for the country
• Monitor ambient air and water quality and land-use changes and inform all sections of the society through print, audio visual and other appropriate means.
• Promote and ensure an efficient system of gathering and sharing environmental information
• Publish State of Environment Reports and report/submit to the Lhengyal Zhungtshog/Parliament once every 5 years and disseminate the findings to the general public.
• Promote and conduct environmental research
• Coordinate and facilitate the implementation of bilateral and multilateral environmental agreements, conventions, treaties or declarations.
• Receive representations on environmental matters from members of the Civil Society
• Develop and facilitate the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS)
• Coordinate and monitor cross-sectoral issues related to water, forestry and mineral resources and waste management in the country.

The line ministries/agencies shall be responsible for their Implementation and enforcement functions.

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