Climate & Water Management Technical Workshop

Thimphu, Bhutan, 9 June 2011

The workshop was held in the conference hall of the National Environment Commission (NEC) premises and brought together RGoB managers from the NEC (Water division and climate division) and key sector ministries involved in activities impacted by climate change.The workshop unfolded a typical climate adaptation methodology applied to the water sector: climate perspectives, consequences on different components of the hydro system (glaciers, groundwater, river flows), impact depending on the water uses (human consumption, agriculture, industry) and related adaptation options. It was summed up by a tentative global wrap up strategy followed by discussion among participants. Throughout the presentation a focus was made to technically clarify was is really known, unknown or speculative, and what kind of uncertainties one has to deal with in climate adaptation in the water sector, and what was the consequences on decision making.

Participants agreed that further work is needed to understand how the changing climate and the water system intertwine; it is however necessary to combine further knowledge improvement and sharing with the undertaking of no regret adaptation options and contemplate the whole range of truly additional adaptation options in the water sector. Consensus was particularly important on the necessity to increase water buffering capacity and strategic water reserves in Bhutan, possibly in a sprawled manner. The fact that many water related material is either unknown or in the realm of the speculation remains an obstacle to articulate projects and appropriate legal framework.