From National to Local: A Comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment Framework for Climate Change Adaptation in Bhutan

Climate change has evolved into a dire global crisis, affecting communities and nations worldwide. Bhutan, a small landlocked country in the fragile eastern Himalayas, faces significant challenges due to climate change. To effectively plan for climate change adaptation, it is crucial to assess local vulnerabilities and understand community-specific needs at a finer spatial level. National-level studies often fail to capture the location specificity of smaller areas, highlighting the need for localized assessments. Therefore, this study focuses on the climate change vulnerability assessment of nine Southwestern districts in Bhutan. It integrates quantitative analysis with qualitative information obtained from primary field surveys. The primary objective is to mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation measures into the developmental plans of these districts based on this detailed vulnerability assessment. Another key objective is to prioritize adaptation strategies for enhancing community resilience in areas highly vulnerable to climate change. The study assesses communities' exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity using 40 indicators (six for exposure, 14 for sensitivity, and 20 for adaptive capacity) to compute vulnerability indexes. The results indicate that Dagana (-0.72) and Sarpang (-0.71) districts are the most vulnerable, due to their high exposure and sensitivity. Conversely, Tsirang (-0.35), Thimphu (-0.36), and Haa (-0.38) districts are less vulnerable, attributed to higher adaptive capacity. The study recommends incorporating climate change adaptation and mitigation measures into district development plans. Prioritizing adaptation strategies based on district-specific vulnerabilities is essential for enhancing community resilience. This research contributes to informed decision-making and effective climate change adaptation in Bhutan.