Thimphu, 12 June 2026 – The National Soil Services Centre (NSSC), Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, successfully convened the First Technical Working Group (TWG) Consultation Workshop on Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and UNCCD National Reporting 2026 from 10–12 June 2026 at Norkhil Boutique Hotel & Spa, Thimphu.
The three-day workshop brought together representatives from key government agencies and technical institutions to review Bhutan’s achievements under its first Voluntary Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN 1.0) Targets, discuss and refine the revised LDN 2.0 Targets, and strengthen collaboration for the preparation of Bhutan’s National Report 2026 under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
During the workshop, participants reviewed progress made against Bhutan’s seven voluntary LDN targets and noted that six of the seven targets have been successfully achieved. The discussions also highlighted emerging challenges related to drought, land abandonment, water scarcity, and the need for stronger inter-agency coordination to address land degradation and build resilience in vulnerable landscapes.
Technical deliberations focused on improving land degradation assessments, enhancing data-sharing mechanisms, and ensuring that the revised LDN 2.0 framework is aligned with national priorities, including the 13th Five-Year Plan, 21st Century Economic Road map, National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP 2025), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), and other climate and biodiversity commitments.
The workshop also identified opportunities to leverage ongoing projects and investments in ecosystem restoration, sustainable land management, nature-based solutions, and climate resilience to contribute towards Bhutan’s LDN goals.
In his closing remarks, the Program Director of NSSC and National Focal Point to the UNCCD thanked all participants for their active engagement and reaffirmed Bhutan’s commitment to combating land degradation, restoring degraded ecosystems, and enhancing drought resilience. He emphasized that the successful development of LDN 2.0 and the National Report 2026 will require continued collaboration and timely support from all relevant stakeholders.
The workshop concluded with agreement on a road map for finalizing Bhutan’s revised LDN 2.0 Targets and preparing the National Report 2026 for submission to the UNCCD Secretariat within the set deadline.
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