Over 90 per cent of Bhutanese want the country to prioritise climate change education and 88 per cent want Bhutan to further strengthen its climate commitments and take more action. This is according to the Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, the world’s largest climate poll. It was carried out by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the University of Oxford. The survey included more than 1,000 Bhutanese respondents.
The Peoples’ Climate Vote is the world’s largest public opinion survey on climate change. It allows people to express their climate concerns and needs on climate change to world leaders.
The UNDP and the University of Oxford launched this initiative in 2021 with a first poll that surveyed people across 50 countries. The 2024 survey expanded its scope, gathering views on climate change from 77 countries representing 87 per cent of the world’s population.
It included 15 questions asking how climate change affects peoples’ daily lives, how it is being addressed in their countries and what they want the world to do about it.
According to the survey, 55 per cent of Bhutanese experienced extreme weather conditions such as extreme heat or cold. Globally, 43 per cent of the respondents reported similar experiences.
“Maybe because of global warming, there is less snowfall. During our parents’ time, it snowed every winter but now we barely see snow every two years. Water sources dry up during extreme weather, leading to water shortages. Climate change and global warming are causing extreme heat conditions often these days,” said Tshering Dem, a farmer from Nemjo, Lunyi Gewog, Paro.
According to the survey, despite Bhutan making significant progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action, public concerns about climate change and its impacts are growing.
The UNDP resident representative said that the UNDP is assessing resources to help Bhutan reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. They have been working closely with the government on these efforts.
“We are also hoping that Bhutan would play a much stronger voice globally and that’s an initiative that I personally engaged with Lyonchen on that to see how we can support Bhutan globally because Bhutan has a very strong voice. We need to bring these aspects of Bhutan globally and we will support Bhutan’s voice globally to play a much more leading role in the global climate change agenda but also global developing finance agenda,” said Mohammad Younus, Resident Representative, UNDP Bhutan.
Bhutan remains highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and faces increasing pressure to accelerate economic growth. The resident representative added that economic development can be achieved sustainably through green strategies.
“There is a global perception either to go for growth or green, adopting green strategy will bring more growth, investment, and create more jobs. That’s the way to go and that’s the future.”
UNDP’s new country programme 2024-2028 will invest around USD 70 M to support Bhutan’s climate action agenda. One of the upcoming projects will focus on urban resilience.
Sonam Pelkid
Edited by Sonam Pem
