Bhutan - Thimphu
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The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress |
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Pilot City: Bhutan
Status: finished Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan which is located within an area space of 1,794.87 km2,. A population of 116,012 lives in Thimphu Dzongkhag in 2015 with an estimated population density of 64.6 per km2 (National Statistics Bureau, 2017a) and future projection foresee the city to grow. Thimphu’s households are 100% electrified. 64.3% of Thimphu’s land is covered by the forest (in 2016) (National Statistics Bureau, 2017a), which contributes in net carbon sink. Some of Thimphu’s initiatives on energy generation/conservation, sustainable transport and waste management are discussed below: Energy In response to an increasing energy demand in the city, Thimphu is initiating measures to implement renewable energy (e.g. Solar and Wind) and improve energy efficiency. Thimphu is replacing street lamps with LED lighting which could save 2 to 3 million units of electricity each year (Tshomo, 2015; ICLEI, 2016). Transport Vehicle density is high in urban areas of Bhutan, including Thimphu. The city public transport services (buses) are inadequate so that use of taxis and private modes of transport (private cars and two wheelers) are increasing. Metropolitan areas have typical characteristics of higher incomes, shorter travel times, and more incentives to improve air quality or reduce CO2 emissions, making them more suitable for EV programs. Thimphu has these characteristics, which, along with its mild climate, make it a good pilot area for testing the new EVs and building a foundation for a cost-effective countrywide roll-out (Zhu, Patella, Steinmetz, & Peamsilpakulchorn, 2016). Bhutan plans to make Thimphu - a clean Green Electric city (Tshering, 2014). As of March 2016, 52 Nissan Leaf EVs had been introduced in Bhutan, including 13 for government officials and 39 for general users, most of which in Thimphu (Gross National Happiness Commission, 2016). A quick charging stations on the road between Paro and Thimphu, the two main cities of Bhutan, are available (Tijhuis, n.d.). Moreover, Thimphu municipality plans to build dedicated cycle lanes and tracks around the city, and transforming Thimphu into a bicycle-friendly city (Sundas, 2016). Waste management The main challenges in waste management in urban areas in Bhutan (including Thimphu) are illegal dumping of waste (although waste collection services are available) and lack of cooperation in segregation and disposal of waste. Thimphu has piloted evening waste collection services and CCTV surveillance to monitor illegal dumping (Ghalley, 2017). The availability of not enough waste compost plants and landfill sites are also an issue in Thimphu. To tackle this, the city is planning to explore technology either to make composting faster or to establish a bio-gas plant (which requires waste segregation at the source) (Bhutan Times, 2017). Greener Way and Clean City are private companies (outsourced by Thimphu municipality) to manage waste in Thimphu |
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Factsheets
Staus: In progress Relevant Factsheets Nairobi: Biomass - Improved cooking energy Biomass is any organic matter that may and can be used as an energy source - these include wood, crops, yard and animal waste products. Easily available in the natural environment, biomass has aided human civilisation as total primary energy (TPE) since humanity’s origins. Populations in rural areas, especially in developing countries, continue to rely on biomass for TPE – mostly for cooking and heating purposes. An estimated 2.7 billion people globally - 40% of the world’s population - depend on traditional biomass, such as fuel wood, charcoal or crop residues, for cooking, heating and other purposes. Worldwide, an estimated 1.06 billion people do not have access to electricity, and 3.04 billion people still rely on solid fuels and kerosene for cooking and heating (World Bank, 2017). Case Study: Kenya - Solar Cook Stoves |
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E-learning Programme
Status: In progress Learning resources on Mobility, Energy and Waste Management E-learning programme builds on the toolbox and factsheets and aims to provide a better understanding of possible actions, highlighting the experiences from the implementation of measures in other cities building on the wealth of knowledge of international experts. |
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Action Tracker
Status: In progress Gives an overview of the Projects progress The Urban Pathways Action Tracker provides an overview of the project’s activities in the cities and reflects on the various action areas. The main objective of this is to share learnings with other cities and identify opportunities for synergies with other projects and initiatives. |
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Capacity Building
Status: Work in progress
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City-to-City Partnerships
Status: In progress The partner cities will be supported by exchanging ideas with their peers in other cities who have developed successful urban mobility, energy and resource management solutions. This will focus on the story behind the success on governance, finance and regulatory issues.
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Regional Replication
Status: Work in progress Waste management is an important issue in Bhutan, mainly in urban areas (from household, commercial and industry) due to increasing quantity of waste and its related emissions. The composition of municipal solid waste generated in Bhutan includes high organic matter (around 50%), followed by paper and paper boards (around 15%) and plastics (around 10%). The main challenges in waste management in urban areas in Bhutan (including Thimphu) are illegal dumping of waste (although waste collection ser- vices are available) and lack of cooperation in segregation and disposal of waste. Bhutan intends to minimise GHG emission on waste through ap- plication of zero waste concept and sustainable waste management prac-tices. It includes enhancing 3R principles of waste management includingconversion of waste into resources, and improving the current system andinfrastructure for waste management (Royal Government of Bhutan, 2015). The capital city, Thimphu, has piloted evening waste collection services and CCTV surveillance to monitor illegal dumping (Ghalley, 2017). The availability of not enough waste compost plants and landfill sites are alsoan issue in Thimphu. To tackle this, the city is planning to explore technology either to make composting faster or to establish a bio-gas plant (which requires waste segregation at the source) (Bhutan Times, 2017). Greener Way and Clean City are private companies (outsourced by Thimphu municipality) to manage waste in Thimphu. In order to improve Bhutan’s solid waste management system, a holistic approach of Integrated Solid waste management in the cities is required. |
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Policy Environment Assessment
Status: Finished Bhutan is a landlocked developing country, located in South Asia. A population of about 779,666 lives in a total area of 38,394 km2, which makes Bhutan’s population density of 20.3 person per km2 (National Statistics Bureau, 2017). Of the total population, urban population comprises of 39% with annual growth rate of 3.2% recorded in 2016 (World bank, 2018). Thimphu is the country’s capital and accounts for over 30% of its urban population. Other larger cities with above 20,000 people are Phuntsholing, Samdrup Jongkhar and Punakha.
Bhutan’s economy is based on hydropower, agriculture, and forestry. The country’s GDP per Capita is US$ 2,879.07 and has a GDP growth rate of 7.99% (2016) (National Statistics Bureau, 2017). Gross National Happiness (GNH) is the guiding philosophy of Bhutan’s socio-economic development for the prosperity and happiness of the people in Bhutan, whose main four pillars are: 1. Good governance; 2. Sustainable socio-economic development; 3. Cultural preservation, and 4. Environmental conservation. Bhutan intents to maintain its carbon neutrality in 2030. It is constitutional mandate to protect 60% of the land as forest area, which currently covers 70% of the country´s land and provides ecological services.
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Policy Recommendations
Status: Pending Policy measures at the local and national level can be critical to the transformation of urban energy, mobility and resource sectors, for example they regulate systems, provide technological standards, generate funding, impose taxes and set policy objectives. As part of the cooperation with the partner cities, Urban Pathways provides on-demand policy advice. |
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Project Development
Status: Work in Progress Waste Management Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan which is located within an area space of 1,794.87 km2,. A population of 116,012 lives in Thimphu Dzongkhag in 2015 with an estimated population density of 64.6 per km2 (National Statistics Bureau, 2017a) and future projection foresee the city to grow. Thimphu’s households are 100% electrified. 64.3% of Thimphu’s land is covered by the forest (in 2016) (National Statistics Bureau, 2017a), which contributes in net carbon sink. The main challenges in waste management in urban areas in Bhutan (including Thimphu) are illegal dumping of waste (although waste collection services are available) and lack of cooperation in segregation and disposal of waste. Thimphu has piloted evening waste collection services and CCTV surveillance to monitor illegal dumping (Ghalley, 2017). The availability of not enough waste compost plants and landfill sites are also an issue in Thimphu. To tackle this, the city is planning to explore technology either to make composting faster or to establish a bio-gas plant (which requires waste segregation at the source) (Bhutan Times, 2017). Greener Way and Clean City are private companies (outsourced by Thimphu municipality) to manage waste in Thimphu. |
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Implementation Facility
Status: Work in progress The Implementation Facility coordinates the delivery of the project and creates synergies with other initiatives working in the Urban Pathways areas and regions. The facility focuses on knowledge exchange, co-creation and collaboration with partner projects working in the Urban Pathways cities. |
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Action Plans
Status: Work in progress The Action Plans summarise key on-going initiatives and identify opportunities for further action with a focus on cross-sectoral synergies and policy interactions between the local and national level. Waste management in Bhutan Waste management is an important issue in Bhutan, mainly in urban areas (from household, commercial and industry) due to increasing quantity of waste and its related emissions. The main challenges in waste management in urban areas in Bhutan (including Thimphu) are illegal dumping of waste (although waste collection services are available) and lack of cooperation in segregation and disposal of waste. Bhutan intends to minimise GHG emission on waste through application of zero waste concept and sustainable waste management practices. It includes enhancing 3R principles of waste management including conversion of waste into resources, and improving the current system and infrastructure for waste management (Royal Government of Bhutan, 2015). |
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Bankable Projects
Status: Pending Urban Pathways develops scalable pilot projects in cooperation with the partner cities at a neighbourhood level with an aim to provide a proof of concept of urban energy, mobility and waste management solutions. Based on the pilot project demonstrators, larger-scale projects will be developed to utilise the CO2mitigation potential of an integrated urban energy, mobility and resource management approach and seize the opportunities for contributions the Sustainable Development Goals. This will be done in close cooperation with finance partners and will be geared towards the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility and similar sources of funding and financing. |
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Implementation Support
Status: Pending The Urban Pathways team actively support partner cities in the implementation of urban energy, mobility and waste management solutions. This support includes activities jointly initiated under this project and other relevant actions currently on-going in the partner cities. |
