Gender and Waste Nexus: Experiences from Bhutan, Mongolia and Nepal

Bhutan

Figure 15. Urbanization and construction in Thimphu, January 2003 (top) and December 2017 (bottom). Source: Google Earth (screenshots).

is causing Bhutan’s waste and emissions to steadily increase. Higher levels of waste will in turn contribute to more GHG emissions, mainly due to inefficient transportation, emissions from landfills and the burning of waste, which is the main waste handling procedure in rural areas. In urban areas, all non-valuable waste ends up in landfills, which over time become a major source of CH 4 emissions.

In addition, Bhutan’s largely unplanned urban expansion couldworsen the impact of climate hazards, and although air pollution and carbon emissions may not be a big local issue, pollutants may blow in from regions to the south and west of Bhutan (transboundary air pollution).

In its INDC commitments, Bhutan particularly mentions minimizing waste sector emissions, though these do

58 Gender and waste nexus