Hands-on Training on Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Bhutan: Session 2

Event	The Second Session of the Hands-on Training Programme on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Climate Change Adaptation in Bhutan
Date	2-6 March 2026
Venue	Thimphu, Bhutan
Organizers	Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ) Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. (MURC) Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

OVERVIEW

In March 2026, a team of experts from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) visited Thimphu, the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan, to conduct follow-up consultations on Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). This activity was positioned as the second session following the first hands-on training held in September 2025. Through face-to-face meetings with key Bhutanese agencies that participated in the first session, the team conducted concrete discussions toward the institutionalization of adaptation MEL and the implementation of online systems such as JAMES.

Personalized follow-up tailored to agency needs

During this mission, the team conducted individual visits to four agencies: the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), the Department of Geology and Mines (DGM), and the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC). By visiting each agency’s office directly, the team was able to scrutinize the self-assessment results from the “homework (scorecards)” submitted during the first training. This approach allowed for detailed follow-up tailored to each agency’s specific expertise and operational workflows.

Key points of discussion included:

• Institutionalization and System Integration: To avoid increasing the reporting burden on each agency, it was reaffirmed as essential to link the system with the progress evaluation of Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan (13th FYP), the existing government Public Expenditure Management System (PEMS), and tracking systems currently under development for climate change mitigation and transparency enhancement.
• Alignment with International Standards: The team shared plans to upgrade the system to enable users to refer to the “UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience” adopted at COP28. Discussions also focused on how to align Bhutan’s national reporting with inputs for the second Global Stocktake (GST2).
• Operational Sustainability: To address changes in personnel within government agencies, a proposal was supported to position the system not merely as an evaluation tool, but as a “knowledge platform” that can also be used for training new officials.

Strengthening cooperation with international organizations and partners

The mission also included visits to the JICA Bhutan Office and the UNDP Bhutan Office to discuss collaboration for the autonomous operation of adaptation MEL in Bhutan. With JICA, the team discussed utilizing the online system as an education and awareness platform for new government officials and new personnel-in-charge to address the challenge of losing institutional memory due to frequent personnel rotations. With UNDP, the focus was on ensuring synergies with existing frameworks, such as the UNFCCC Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project. It was agreed that rather than proliferating multiple systems, the tool should be integrated into national processes, such as the interim review of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). These dialogues highlighted the importance of breaking down data silos between ministries and establishing an effective support system tailored to the needs on the ground.

Future Outlook

The outcomes of these consultations will be directly reflected in future system enhancements and the roadmap for institutionalizing adaptation MEL in Bhutan. AP-PLAT will continue to provide technical assistance and promote co-learning to ensure that Bhutan and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region can advance autonomous and science-based climate change adaptation measures.

RELATED INFORMATION

• Hands-on Training on Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in Bhutan: Session 1
• Japan Adaptation Monitoring & Evaluation System (JAMES)

(Posted : 17/Mar/2026)