Impact of Climate Change on Communities in Phobji and Gangtey valley in Bhutan

In spite of being a champion of environment conservation and one of the pillars of the Gross National Happiness (GNH) development concept, Bhutan is not an exception, and the impact of climate change is felt across the country. [...] Because of the popularity of Phobji and Gangtey Valley as conservation sites, the areas were selected as most of the studies conducted were on the impact of climate change on the ecosystem, and studies on other forms of impacts have hardly been explored. [...] From the interviews conducted in Phobji and Gangtey Valley it was evident that most of the decisions in the households are made by the matriarch of the family. [...] Conclusion Even though Bhutan is the only carbon-negative country in the world, Bhutan is not spared from the impact of climate change as seen in the melting of glaciers and lake outbursts leading to the destruction of the livelihoods of the people. [...] Exploring livelihood beyond farming and tourism: Because of the lack of alternative work besides tourism and farming, many of the men venture out of the valley in search of work thereby leaving women and children behind to combat any impact of climate change.