The Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, has called on wealthy Western nations to prioritise environmental conservation and sustainable economic growth, arguing that doing so would improve the health and happiness of their citizens. In an exclusive interview, Tobgay highlighted Bhutan's status as the world's first carbon-negative nation, achieved through a development agenda centred on gross national happiness rather than GDP alone.
Bhutan, a Buddhist democratic monarchy in the eastern Himalayas, has become a global climate leader despite its limited resources and geographical challenges. The country has implemented mitigation efforts across all economic sectors, including boosting renewable energy from hydro, solar, and wind sources, piloting green hydrogen, and enhancing efficiency in transport, buildings, and agriculture. With 72% forest cover, Bhutan sequesters approximately five times the carbon dioxide it emits.
Tobgay emphasised that if Bhutan can achieve such progress, developed countries with more resources must do more to reduce emissions and fight the climate crisis. He stated, 'The wellbeing of our people is at the centre of our agenda. If we can do it, developed rich countries can – and must – do a lot more.'
However, Bhutan faces significant climate impacts as a landlocked mountainous nation, with glaciers melting and lakes overflowing due to faster warming in mountain ranges. Floods have displaced farming communities, and road maintenance costs have more than doubled. The country's graduation from the UN's least developed country category in 2023 has also reduced its access to international climate finance, even as climate shocks increase.
Tobgay called on the developed world to fulfil its moral and legal obligations by providing financial and technical support to help developing nations adapt and reduce emissions. Bhutan's constitution mandates at least 60% forest cover, and its people's spiritual connection to nature further drives conservation efforts, including a ban on mountaineering on the highest unclimbed peak, Gangkhar Puensum.
