Launch of National Implementation Plan for SEEA in Bhutan

On October 30, approximately 40 people participated in the high-level launch of the National Implementation Plan for the SEEA in Bhutan, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, members of Parliament, Director Generals of various line ministries, staff from the National Statistics Bureau, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNSD.

The plan outlines a set of priority accounts for the National Statistics Bureau to compile between 2024-2029, in collaboration with line ministries and other partners. The plan was developed through an open and collaborative process with government stakeholders where policy priorities were first identified. Based on the policy priorities identified by line ministries, as well as data availability, the National Statistics Bureau and stakeholders agreed on a plan for the compilation of specific SEEA accounts in the short, medium and long term. 

The launch included opening remarks by the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, the UN Resident Coordinator, the National Statistics Bureau and UNSD. Several of the opening remarks highlighted how the SEEA could be used to support Bhutan’s commitment to Gross National Happiness, Constitutional mandates (e.g. preservation of at least 60% of land cover as forest), the upcoming Five-Year Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition, from 31 October to 3 November, UNSD and UNSIAP co-organized a national training on the SEEA priority accounts identified in the national plan. Approximately 20 persons from the National Statistics Bureau and line ministries participated in the training. The launch and capacity building workshop mark the conclusion of activities in Bhutan under the Division’s Development Account project, Environmental-Economic Accounting for Evidence Based Policies in Africa and Asia.