The Interaction of Buddhism and Forestry Conservation in Bhutan

Abstract

While much of the world has struggled to adequately respond to the climate crisis, Bhutan, a small state at the eastern edge of the Himalayas, has successfully applied an extensive forest conservation program. The Bhutanese constitution mandates the protection of 60% of the state’s forests in perpetuity, though conservation efforts over the last 20 years have led to their surpassing this goal by over 10%. Bhutan sequesters twice its annual carbon footprint, and climate change is considered both a key policy priority and a pressing concern in daily life. The interaction of Buddhist faith and ecosystem management in Bhutan has led to an unprecedented and globally unique degree of conservation.