Environmental Education in Bhutan: Status and Challenges

Abstract

Bhutan's pristine environment is the legacy of our forefathers. This legacy is one that all Bhutanese cherish because it is the wealth and pride of our country . Some of the splendor of the Bhutanese environment was captured by Richard Conniff, a visitor to Bhutan from Yale (USA) in his article, 'Seeking the Middle Path'. ... Maintaining the environment in an unspoiled form accords with Buddhism- the state religion. The basic principles of Buddhism are to give back to nature what has been taken away and to respect all forms of life. Environmental protection is also an important issue that Bhutan's Fourth King (regent for more than 30 years and who only recently abdicated) strongly advocated, thus contributing toward the Gross National Happiness (GNH) of the people.