The Challenge
The Royal Government of Bhutan’s (“RGOB”) National Biodiversity Center (“NBC”) under the Ministry of Agriculture (“MOA”) made a “first call” to request help to build a world-class environmental legal infrastructure for Bhutan which would (i) deliver a concrete legal framework to insure the multi-generational actualization of many of the core Gross National Happiness principles into Bhutanese society and (ii) become a major global legislative reference source on biodiversity legal regimes that enhance a balance between conservation and development, deepening Bhutan’s status as a planetary biodiversity and ecological leader.
Our Approach
Following extensive preparations, Pamir conducted a series of interviews with all relevant government and many non-government stakeholders to understand their complex and diverse biodiversity concerns. We conducted stakeholder interviews and workshops with 22 representatives from 17 relevant government departments and agencies as well as leading environmental NGOs. During that time, we conducted interactive workshops and seminars and we determined with MOA that the conditions existed to implement a successful, inclusive and interactive process to develop the Framework. PLG and stakeholders together learned that it was indeed possible to (i) harmonize all the relevant laws with each other and with international best practice and requirements; and (ii) provide practical regulations for the implementation of the policies by stakeholders in a sustainable capacity-building manner so the RGOB would be trained and empowered to implement them for generations without creating any dependency.
The Result
Pamir delivered a Biodiversity Policy Framework Proposal which maps out and documents in detail the necessary process and resources needed to deliver a Framework that helps (i) promote equitable and sustainable socio-economic development; (ii) conserve the natural environment; (iii) preserve and promote cultural values; and (iv) establish good legislative governance.