Steps on to sensitise students on climate change
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 29 2026: With climate change emerging as a challenging threat globally, India and Bhutan are taking various initiatives to sensitise students to the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living. Environmental conservation is a fundamental duty in Bhutan.

Choni Yangjom, Deputy Chief Forestry Officer of the Nature Conservation Division under Bhutan's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, said environmental conservation is an important component of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy.

Stating that Bhutan's GNH model rests on four core pillars, he said environmental conservation is one of the key pillars.

Karma Gyeltshen, Senior Forestry Officer of the same division, said that the Constitution of Bhutan mandates that at least 60 per cent of the country's total land area be maintained under forest cover.

He also said that students in the country are taught about nature, environment and biodiversity from as early as Class IV .

The forest area of Bhutan currently accounts for 69.71 per cent of the country's total land area, he said, adding that Bhutan is among the three countries in the world that are carbon negative.

The other two carbon negative countries are Panama and Surinam.

In India, too, the Government has been working towards making Sikkim the country's first carbon-negative State since 2015 .

According to data available on the Sikkim Forest Department's website, around 77 per cent of the State's total geographical area is under forest and tree cover.

Article 51-A(g) of the Indian Constitution makes it the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment.

Moreover, the National Forest Policy mandates maintaining at least 33 per cent of the country's total geographical area under forest cover.

However, the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) released by the Forest Survey of India, showed that forest cover accounted for 21.76 per cent of the country's total geographical area.

Haobam Nomita, State Coordinator of the Eco Club for Mission LiFE, said that the National Education Policy has a provision for teaching students about environmental conservation from Class I .

She said students should not only be encouraged to participate in tree plantation drives but also taught why trees are planted and the important role they play in maintaining the environment.

She further said that eco-clubs have been opened in most schools under Samagra Shiksha Manipur.

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