Bhutan: On the Path towards Sustainable Economic Development

Abstract

The world today is edging towards a precipice of crisis and disaster, pushed continually by unplanned development, and myopic vision of nations, and their leaders. The world requires moving towards sustainable development, which envisages the idea of meeting the worlds present needs, without compromising on the resources for future generations. Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom, is aspiring to achieve just that. This paper strives to highlight the uniqueness of Bhutan and discusses upon three of the vital tasks undertaken by Bhutan viz. promoting sustainable agriculture in the form of organic farming, sustainable energy production in the form of hydropower, and sustainable ecotourism as an important industry for the future, and in the process attempts to associate these factors to Bhutans ideology of ensuring happiness for all its citizen through a path of sustainable economic development. This paper attempts at sensitising the audience to the idea that Bhutan is marching ahead on the right path towards achieving sustainable economic development

The impact and outcomes of (non-education) doctorates: the case of an emerging Bhutan

“…Moreover, Bhutan is planning to become a middle-income country, hence the use of the term 'emerging' in the title, and has requested its graduation to this status to take place in 2023 (Dorji 2018). According to Banerjee and Singh (2013), it is also on the road to sustainable https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00531-4…”

Entwining a Conceptual Framework

“…In what follows, an analytical synthesis of these concepts displays insightful parallels with those pertaining to “Buddhist approaches.” These are (i) individual (inner) experience, (ii) oneness and interdependence of reality, (iii) sustainable moral values, and (iv) community curriculum. Current literature on ESD (Banerjee & Singh, 2013; Barrett et al, 2016; Burns, 2015; Bussey, 2012; Chadha, 2015; Chakkarath, 2005; Chansomsak & Vale, 2008; Des Jarlais, 2008; Healy, 2000; King, 2009; Liu & Constable, 2010; O’Sullivan et al, 2002; Pendergast et al, 2012; Toh & Cawagas, 2010; Wang & King, 2008; Witoszek, 2013) presents some theoretical and practical attempts at exploring the possible outcomes of merging these perspectives, with examples from educational programs in both the Global North and South. However, such instances have not yet been thoroughly analyzed and taken into account by international policies on ESD and will be included in this section as food for thought for further investigation.…”

“…In light of the above analysis, parallels can be drawn with each of the aforesaid four elements of Buddhist/Eastern spiritual perspectives, namely (i) individual (inner) experience, (ii) oneness and interdependence of reality, (iii) sustainable moral values, and (iv) community curriculum, through a detailed exploration. These four convergent points arise from the juxtaposition of core elements of transformative learning theory with an examination of multiple perspectives on pedagogy and sustainability within the literature of Buddhist/Eastern approaches to learning (Banerjee & Singh, 2013; Chadha, 2015; Chansomsak & Vale, 2008; Chaudhary & Aswal, 2014; Healy, 2000; Liu & Constable, 2010; Nhat Hanh, 1988; Wang & King, 2008). It is worth mentioning, however, that the author is aware that the phrase Buddhist approaches entails careful use.…”

“…Here, the guiding principle of “middle path” (a lifestyle refrained from extreme pleasurable or self-mortifying extravagances) has allowed to balance economic growth, cultural preservation, and the safeguard of the environment, together with the pioneering introduction of the Gross National Happiness Index. The latter, in fact, provides a measure of well-being that includes indicators, such as “cultural diversity and resilience,” “community vitality,” and “ecological diversity and resilience,” to name a few (Centre For Bhutan Studies & Gross National Happiness Research, 2016; Banerjee & Singh, 2013). Therefore, further exploration of analogous models promoting values in the relationship among individuals, communities, and their environments could meaningfully enrich ESD discourses.…”