Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5_Pemagatshel

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for Biological Corridor 5 (BC5) in Pemagatshel, Bhutan, outlines the mitigation of environmental and social risks associated with two specific construction projects planned for 2024-2025: a breast wall near the Division Office approach road and a new Range Office at Nganglam. The document details the baseline conditions of BC5, which is characterized by tropical broad-leaved forests and high biodiversity, and sets forth strict adherence to both Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP). Key mitigation measures focus on noise control, waste management, and occupational health and safety (OHS) for workers. The plan includes a comprehensive monitoring framework, stakeholder engagement protocols, and a multi-tiered grievance redressal mechanism involving BFL, WWF, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

• The Bhutan for Life (BFL) project is a 14-year initiative designed to maintain Bhutan's carbon neutrality by increasing forest cover and enhancing climate resilience through a network of protected areas and biological corridors.
• Biological Corridor 5 (BC5) covers 203.58 km2 in the South-Eastern part of Bhutan, connecting the Royal Manas National Park and Jomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary, with over 95% of its land consisting of broad-leaved forests.
• Two primary construction activities are planned for 2024-2025: a breast wall (18m length, 3m height) at Gamazore to prevent road erosion, budgeted at Nu. 750,000, and a two-storied Range Office at Nganglam, budgeted at Nu. 6,000,000.
• Where discrepancies exist between Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) laws and WWF’s Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), the WWF SIPP prevails, particularly regarding the eligibility of non-title holders for compensation and the requirement for extensive community consultations.
• Environmental and social risks for the planned activities are categorized as minimal and site-specific, primarily involving noise disturbance, construction waste, dust/air pollution, and worker health and safety.
• The ESMP mandates a multi-layered grievance redressal mechanism, allowing stakeholders to file complaints through BFL-specific channels, the WWF Project Complaints Officer in Washington, DC, or the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Independent Review Mechanism.

APA

WWF International (2024). Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5_Pemagatshel. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/6qyd65a08t_BC05_PG_ESMP_2024.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5_Pemagatshel. 2024. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/6qyd65a08t_BC05_PG_ESMP_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5_Pemagatshel |date=2024 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/6qyd65a08t_BC05_PG_ESMP_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2024bhutan, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Bhutan for Life Environmental and Social Management Plan for Biological Corridor 5\_Pemagatshel}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2024}, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/6qyd65a08t_BC05_PG_ESMP_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }