Bhutan Income is necessary but not an end-all to be happy

It may come as no surprise but, the higher your income, the happier you are, at least in Bhutan.

This glimpse into the findings of the 2010 GNH survey was provided during a presentation at the ‘happiness and economic development’ conference, yesterday.

Yet, while income may play a major role, up to a certain extent, several other significant factors were also found to positively impact an individual’s happiness. This was mentioned during an analytical presentation of survey data on ‘subjective well-being’ by the centre for Bhutan studies (CBS) president, Dasho Karma Ura.

“But GNH isn’t equivalent to subjective well being alone,” he said. It tries to combine both objective and subjective elements of happiness, while presenting the analysis from a subjective wellbeing point of view, he said. He added that some are economic factors, such as the amount of land owned, sufficiency in household equipment and the level of education possessed. Postgraduates reported higher happiness levels than university or college graduates.

Bhutanese, who are more inclined towards positive emotions, like calmness, empathy, compassion, and contentment, are happier than those, who experience more anger, frustration, and worry.

The GNH survey also found that meditation increases happiness, although only an extremely small percentage meditated daily. But spending two hours on average in prayer daily is a general practice.

Contrary to what single Bhutanese may claim, married Bhutanese are much happier, compared to their fellow citizens, who have never tied the knot. But those, who never married, can be happier than those who married and are divorced or widowed.

Other activities that increased happiness for Bhutanese is frequent socialising with relatives, trust in others, good physical and mental health, and in which dzongkhag you live. According to survey results, living in Dagana, Pemagatshel and even Thimphu can negatively affect happiness levels.

According to statistics presented, the U-curve, whereby the happiness level of individuals drops to the lowest point some time between 40 and 50 years of age was also confirmed. But the U-curve of subjective wellbeing is flatter, if the data is restricted to farmers, because their income is stable throughout their lifecycle, while that of salaried people is not, he pointed out.

The survey also found that the happiest people are those that have “less work and more leisure, and eight hours of sleep.” The findings of the 2nd GNH survey, carried out between April and December 2010 by CBS, will be released next month. About 8,000 Bhutanese were interviewed for the survey.

Japan and Brazil too shared their experiences with GNH surveys and activities conducted so far, revealing some universal factors that contribute to an individual’s happiness.

Professor Shigeru T Otsubo, Nagoya university, pointed out that a 2010 survey in Japan found that health, family, income, and spirituality made up the main elements for happiness. He said that the desired goals for Japanese society are securing safety, concern for others, and spiritual enlightenment. He added that Japan needs a more connected society and sound economic growth.

The survey also found that females and younger people in Japan are happier, despite social conditions that favour males and older generations.

Susan Andrews, who is involved with implementing GNH in Brazil, described how far the effort has progressed. She said that the objective of Brazilian GNH is to get communities involved in decision making, establishing social networks, conducting practices for physical and mental well-being, and encouraging participatory democracy.

Like in Bhutan, an ‘educating for happiness’ program is also being implemented in Brazil. But, instead of a Buddhist-based approach, since students are of multi-cultural backgrounds, a universal scientific approach is used, she said. Some of these exercises include lighter practices, such as comedy theatre, and more serious activities, such as group “deep listening”.

Susan pointed out that youth has also be trained to conduct their GNH survey. The advantage of this approach, she said, was that the survey was not expensive.

Plans are afoot to implement the GNH approach in seven more communities.

Distrust, apathy, alienation, exhaustion, and television addiction are some of the problems Brazilian society is grappling with, according to Susan.

The three-day conference ends today.

Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan Income is necessary but not an end-all to be happy

It may come as no surprise but, the higher your income, the happier you are, at least in Bhutan.

This glimpse into the findings of the 2010 GNH survey was provided during a presentation at the ‘happiness and economic development’ conference, yesterday.

Yet, while income may play a major role, up to a certain extent, several other significant factors were also found to positively impact an individual’s happiness. This was mentioned during an analytical presentation of survey data on ‘subjective well-being’ by the centre for Bhutan studies (CBS) president, Dasho Karma Ura.

“But GNH isn’t equivalent to subjective well being alone,” he said. It tries to combine both objective and subjective elements of happiness, while presenting the analysis from a subjective wellbeing point of view, he said. He added that some are economic factors, such as the amount of land owned, sufficiency in household equipment and the level of education possessed. Postgraduates reported higher happiness levels than university or college graduates.

Bhutanese, who are more inclined towards positive emotions, like calmness, empathy, compassion, and contentment, are happier than those, who experience more anger, frustration, and worry.

The GNH survey also found that meditation increases happiness, although only an extremely small percentage meditated daily. But spending two hours on average in prayer daily is a general practice.

Contrary to what single Bhutanese may claim, married Bhutanese are much happier, compared to their fellow citizens, who have never tied the knot. But those, who never married, can be happier than those who married and are divorced or widowed.

Other activities that increased happiness for Bhutanese is frequent socialising with relatives, trust in others, good physical and mental health, and in which dzongkhag you live. According to survey results, living in Dagana, Pemagatshel and even Thimphu can negatively affect happiness levels.

According to statistics presented, the U-curve, whereby the happiness level of individuals drops to the lowest point some time between 40 and 50 years of age was also confirmed. But the U-curve of subjective wellbeing is flatter, if the data is restricted to farmers, because their income is stable throughout their lifecycle, while that of salaried people is not, he pointed out.

The survey also found that the happiest people are those that have “less work and more leisure, and eight hours of sleep.” The findings of the 2nd GNH survey, carried out between April and December 2010 by CBS, will be released next month. About 8,000 Bhutanese were interviewed for the survey.

Japan and Brazil too shared their experiences with GNH surveys and activities conducted so far, revealing some universal factors that contribute to an individual’s happiness.

Professor Shigeru T Otsubo, Nagoya university, pointed out that a 2010 survey in Japan found that health, family, income, and spirituality made up the main elements for happiness. He said that the desired goals for Japanese society are securing safety, concern for others, and spiritual enlightenment. He added that Japan needs a more connected society and sound economic growth.

The survey also found that females and younger people in Japan are happier, despite social conditions that favour males and older generations.

Susan Andrews, who is involved with implementing GNH in Brazil, described how far the effort has progressed. She said that the objective of Brazilian GNH is to get communities involved in decision making, establishing social networks, conducting practices for physical and mental well-being, and encouraging participatory democracy.

Like in Bhutan, an ‘educating for happiness’ program is also being implemented in Brazil. But, instead of a Buddhist-based approach, since students are of multi-cultural backgrounds, a universal scientific approach is used, she said. Some of these exercises include lighter practices, such as comedy theatre, and more serious activities, such as group “deep listening”.

Susan pointed out that youth has also be trained to conduct their GNH survey. The advantage of this approach, she said, was that the survey was not expensive.

Plans are afoot to implement the GNH approach in seven more communities.

Distrust, apathy, alienation, exhaustion, and television addiction are some of the problems Brazilian society is grappling with, according to Susan.

The three-day conference ends today.

Source: Kuenselonline

Nation’s guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness

“When I grow up, I want to be like you,” a man in grey hair from the back seat of the room told students of Early Learning Centre up front.

The students had just demonstrated accompanied with video clippings of what they practiced at school towards a green school that draws its essence from the nation’s guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness.

Meditation to begin and to call it a day at school, denying packaged food at school except once a week and helping ailing and aged citizens at the Thimphu hospital was what the students presented to some 70 people from across the globe.

The participants were gathered to mobilise a fund for green economic development during a conference at Termalinca resort yesterday morning. They were standing most of the time lauding the efforts Bhutanese students were tuning towards that was further embellished with education minister Thakur S Powdyel’s talk on GNH and education.

Impressed by the idea of green schools, the participants dropped money into the waste basket the school had made from plastics and gifted it to the children to use it to pursue their dream of being the change they want to see.

An inventor gave them an instrument that produces electricity from wind energy.

“Over the years, education, whose original idea is to inspire people to be better human beings has come to follow more the law of the market and I feel education has today lost its soul,” Lyonpo said. “That is why we feel we need to reclaim the core function of education itself and that is the reason why we have adopted a strategy called green schools for green Bhutan.”

Elaborating on the first aspect of a green school, he said children needed to understand endowment that’s inherited and the natural diversity that characterises Bhutan.

On intellectual greenery, the second aspect, lyonpo said for a small country like Bhutan, it was extremely important to build students’ knowledge bases, to build intellectual capacity and GNH schools must be intellectually vibrant and open with fertile minds.

A green school, he said, should also be academically green, in that schools should discover the great ideas hidden and so children and teachers will be explorers for the greater mind.

On being socially green, the fourth element, lyonpo said green school should also be culturally green because being a small country with a diverse culture, schools ought to provide space for children to be able to express, articulate and celebrate the different cultural experiences.

“We also believe spiritual greenery is important, which we hope will allow children to find completion, find fulfillment in relation to appreciation of something superior and greater than us,” the minister said. “So this should allow us to moderate our ego, be humble, and be a little more positive.”

Aesthetic greenery is yet another element of a green school, lyonpo said because a lot of children are exposed to influences which compromise and do violence to the integrity of their lives.

“Today, a lot of other things children see on TV screen is such that it can suck the soul of the child,” lyonpo said. “That’s why we need to create opportunities where children know what is really good, and what only looks good; what is genuine, what is fake; what is truly beautiful and appreciate what it is. We call it aesthetic greenery.”

Moral greenery, the ability to inspire to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and falsehood is another extremely important element of a green school, the minister said.

“Perhaps one of the great gaps in modern education is the cultivation of the intellectual dimension, to a point where all other dimensions of the learner are relegated to the background,” he said. “We may have graduates who have wonderful degrees, skills all of which are very important but people who may not be able to relate to each another and the thirst of heart is not quenched by education.”

All these elements are intended to respond to and support the multiple dimensions of the life of the learner, just as GNH is a development alternative that is expected to respond to the multiple dimensions of an individual and society, the minister explained.

“I have a feeling that we need to have green schools even before we have the blue economy,” lyonpo said. “So, a green school in ally to the blue economy, we certainly believe is about time we started looking for a new civilisation, and I call it a new educational civilisation.”

Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan: article that is believed to be the first news report on GNH

John Elliot is one of three foreign journalists to have interviewed the fourth Druk Gyalpo. The interview, which took place in 1987, resulted in an article that is believed to be the first news report on GNH. John was recently in the country for the Mountain Echoes literary festival. Currently, he is the India contributor for Fortune magazine.

As a journalist, you’ve had the rare privilege of interviewing the fourth Druk Gyalpo. What did you talk about?
I didn’t realise until I came back to Bhutan a few days ago for the first time since 1987, that the interview that I had was so unusual. I knew at the time that I had a scoop. I knew that I had a very rare privilege of an interview as a foreign correspondent based in Delhi with the fourth King. But I didn’t realise at the time how few interviews His Majesty had given during his reign. And GNH was the story to be talked about then.

His Majesty’s concerns were about tourism. That was the big issue then, just like the issue now might be the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, and TV programs changing the culture of Bhutan. The issue then was tourism because you had just started letting tourists in and the Tiger’s nest had just been closed because of too many people going there. And the tops of the mountains had just been closed because of people thinking that their traditions were being spoilt. There had been a lot of theft, I believe, of various treasures.

And GNH, it was pegged, as I mentioned in the article, mostly to Nepal. Bhutan didn’t want to become like Nepal. Now remember, Nepal at that time had a stable monarchy. It was simply in reference to the way Nepal had opened its doors to tourism, backpackers, and all the other problems that come with it.

His Majesty was thinking about how to look after this great inheritance that he had received. How to steer Bhutan into the modern world, while at the same time maintaining traditions. The same issue that is an issue now, but then, I felt when I sat with him that I was listening to a young man, who was really puzzled, or maybe he wasn’t puzzled, but he was thinking his way into the problem, of how to manage the conflicting pressures of inevitably having to open up but at the same time, being determined to keep the country with its traditions as much as possible.

How were you able to set up the interview? Anything specific you were looking for?
I met your foreign minister at a SAARC conference at Bangalore, and I said that I was a Financial Times correspondent in New Delhi, and that I would like to come to Bhutan, and write about development and life in Bhutan. I mentioned that I would like to, if possible, interview the king, as well other senior ministers and officials. I brought my family because it was a rare chance. So I brought my wife and two sons, we took them out of school because they may never get the chance again.

So we came and the foreign minister was very helpful. And Kinley Dorji had just launched Kuensel. He was helpful and I learnt as I went. Like a reporter, I don’t think I had any books to read at the time on Bhutan. I may have had a world bank report or something like that but I think I came in, which is often as a reporter the best way to do something, is just to come in and follow the story and see what you find.

You found GNH. Will it work?
The instinctive view of an outsider has to be that there’s little chance because of all the outside pressures. The pressures of the young, the youth, who haven’t got the traditions, who in their teens have not been brought up in the traditions, even guys in their late 20s or 30s, who haven’t got their base. On top of that, the pressures of democracy and political parties, that will need to be more policy oriented and different and have to prove themselves every five years. The pressures of growing consumerism and wealth. The growing pressures of business, and business is not totally honest in any country, not many anyway. With all these pressures how could you possibly, the instinctive reaction of the outsider, think that it could last.

On the other hand, I keep on hearing stories as I’ve heard from your prime minister and other people about how the young are interested in traditions. How there is a strong base and despite all the things that I’ve just said, and all I’ve said is what I’ve heard from other people, there is a strong enough belief in Bhutan for the thing to survive.

Since your last visit what changes have you noticed?
Thimphu - I didn’t recognise. The only place I recognised in Thimphu was when I stood outside the Taj hotel and looked up the hill and thought, “Ah that’s where I stayed, in that hotel.” I couldn’t remember the name of it, so I asked Kinley Dorji and he said, “That’s my office, it’s the ministry of information and that used to be the Bhutan hotel.”

The way the buildings are spreading along the hillsides, along the valley, is in a way awful because it’s a sign of what’s happened to the hill stations in India. I think the thing that I’ve been struck by is this great debate of what you do to this place to keep it as it is, and will the young generation who may be rebelling against it now, and wanting all the benefits of the consumer society, be converted, as they get older to the benefits of Bhutan. I think that’s the main issue. What strikes me is the westernisation, the consumerism, but alongside that, this continuing debate. And it’s fantastic to have a country, which is debating this. I’ve lived in India for many years and there, things are just allowed to happen. There’s no planning, as one has seen with all sorts of things, it all just happens. But here, you’re trying to plan, here you are really thinking of the future, there is a debate, I sense everyone’s involved.

Your impressions of the fourth Druk Gyalpo in 1987?
A very quiet, thoughtful man. I walked into the room in the palace, and it was quite dark, big windows, and I couldn’t see him, I couldn’t see where he was, and I turned around and there he was standing in a window, and I said, “Oh, there you are”, which I guess is not the way to address His Majesty when you first meet him. Then I sat down with him and he was informal, discursive, interested and concerned. I need to go back to my notebook, now I’ve realised how important that interview is in the history of Bhutan...

Source: Kuenselonline

Bhutan GNH: Part IV - Corporate responsibility and the potential for oil and mineral exploration in Bhutan

Between the 1970s and 1990s, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) did the mineral exploration in Bhutan and covered 33 percent of the country. The GSI found potential for oil in Bhangtar, in Phuentshothang gewog of Samdrupjongkhar, traces of gold, silver and copper in the Black Mountains and tungsten in Sarpang dzongkhag with an estimated value of Nu 50 – 60 billion.

Now there is an American mining company willing to follow up on these finds and to explore the rest of the country with a few strings attached. In 2009, Kuensel reported that US-based Cline mining corporation is trying to gain mineral exploration rights for the entire country. J Matthew Fifield, managing director of the Cline Group, proposed he would get a group of American investors to invest in Bhutan’s mining sector “in a big way.” The Department of Geology and Mines (DGM), and Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) — through which Fifield communicated with the government — expressed interest in the proposal and were studying it, said the newspaper report. If an agreement were reached, the mining company would get exploration rights, and the government would get mining shares and royalties.

According to DGM, nothing has yet been done to implement the 2009 Cline mining corporation proposal, which is still in the conceptual stage. The department reportedly would not consider or act upon any proposal until the draft mineral development policy is finalised.

Druk Holding and Investments, however, is currently encouraging interest in potential mineral exploration and extraction by “seeking partners to invest” in mineral-based industries, among other areas. According to DHI, “With the development of the mineral development policy, there will be opportunities for investments in extraction of minerals and mineral-based businesses.”

Both these statements, and that of DHI in particular, indicate the potential for the proposed policy to open the floodgates to mineral exploration and extraction throughout Bhutan. Certainly DHI is explicit in referencing the new policy as providing “opportunities” for mining activities. While the Cline mining corporation proposal has been stalled since August 2009, approval of the draft mineral development policy may well provide the means through which the Cline “conceptual” proposal becomes reality.

Before dealing with Cline mining corporation or similar mining corporations, the government needs to assess these inevitable aforementioned long term costs that have been associated with mining operations worldwide, and to determine whether such activity is in keeping with GNH values, principles, and practices. Needless to say, in negotiating with any foreign company, RGoB will also certainly want to ensure that the company is indeed responsible, without any past negative social, economic, and environmental record, and therefore likely to operate according to GNH principles and practices in a country with the avowed philosophy and policy of adhering to those values and practices. However, recent news reports out of the U.S. raise a red flag regarding the Cline Group’s past environmental record in its home country. For example, concerns are currently being expressed at public meetings by residents and environmental groups over a highly contentious proposal by the company for an open-pit iron mine, slated to destroy an ancient mountain range in Ashland counties, Wisconsin. Investigation of such past and present activities is clearly essential to establish a clear profile of any foreign company invited to participate in this country’s unique development strategy that can be a model for the world.

A caveat
Impact of the best of intentions, policies and strategies will be less in the existing environment. Unless the prevailing environment of weak enforcement, poor monitoring, poor accountability, lack of professional capability in particular in assessing the total costs of exploitation of natural resources, which, I believe, must be computed to rationally fix rents, fees, royalties and evaluate bid offers and compensation for communities change, creation of new bodies or policies will not bear much value. Public interest that the paper is expected to protect, during implementation will give way to private interest, which generally is the case now. Institutions will be abused to legitimise wrong decisions and to peddle private interests. Community elites and local officials will be mobilised by the influential proponents for their gains.

Choosing a development path for the future
More disturbingly, such immediate concerns about whom we might be inviting in to exploit our land should provide a deeper invitation to the government and the people to assess the real purpose and potential impacts of the proposed mineral development policy. Certainly DHI, at least, appears to see the new policy as opening the door to what could be a sharp increase in mining activity nationwide, and is already “seeking partners to invest” in this activity, among other areas. But who are these potential partners? And would such a move exchange an apparent short-term economic gain for a potentially devastating long-term loss that could carry huge and irreparable costs to our nation’s precious earth and ecology? And does our future lie more with the massive, profit-hungry multi-national corporations that are inevitably associated with large mining operations or with smaller, more self-reliant Bhutanese endeavours with a real commitment to the land and its people (hopefully)?

The National Environment Commission’s answer to those questions is crystal clear, and points to a clear choice between two different visions of our country’s future that deserves to be invoked at this crucial point in history. As stated in Bhutan’s NEC 2008 report:

“The concept of large-scale industrial development is in direct conflict with the country’s policy of environmentally sustainable development especially when bearing in mind the country’s fragile mountain ecosystem and limited usable land…. The potential for future industrial development in the country lies in the development of a network of small-scale and cottage industries based on sustainable management of cultural and natural endowments, especially focusing on niche products such as hand-woven textiles using natural dye and organically produced food and medicinal products.”

The goals and values of GNH are clearly aligned with the above statement of the NEC. But, how effective is NEC with its strong team of well educated and well exposed professionals? We have managed thus far to act as superbly responsible stewards of a land rich in biodiversity and aesthetic beauty—guardians of some of the world’s most precious natural heritage. That remarkable legacy of stewardship was formally acknowledged in 2005, when the United Nations recognised Bhutan as “Champion of the Earth” for placing the environment at the very centre of all its development policies, and thereby setting a vital example to a world with a sad history of destroying its natural assets at incalculable cost to human society and other species.

Only if our deeply-felt ecological “conscience” and commitment to GNH - the extraordinary legacy of its wise and benevolent monarchy, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, and its profound ancient wisdom tradition - continue to be put into practice in policies today will we continue to protect our own precious heritage. And only then can Bhutan act, in the words of world-renowned ecologist Dr. Vandana Shiva, in a recent visit to Samdrupjongkhar, as “a lighthouse for the way the world should be if the world has to have a future.”

I strongly feel that this is the context within which the proposed draft mineral development policy must be assessed, and within which the deeper question must be asked whether a pro-active mining policy, with all its known ecological and health impacts, is compatible with the country’s deepest held values and principles. The decisions made today will have far reaching implications for us, for its unsurpassed natural assets, and indeed for the world.

By the way, what does NEC have to say on the policy?

As I sat solemnly in the kuenrey of Tashichhodzong on March 18, praying for Japan and our Japanese friends, I hoped for a different world order that is determined by the intrinsic values of interdependence, impermanence and wisdom. Only tough choices and tough decisions will testify our conviction and sincerity in GNH. Was I idealising? Maybe?

Source: Kuenselonline

GNH og Bhutan requires a new accounting system

If the draft mineral development policy’s stated vision “Create a vibrant mineral sector that contributes to the achievement of GNH” is to be realised, then all current and proposed mining activities must be assessed in a holistic manner, and undergo a full-cost accounting that together can actually function to make the market economy much more efficient, if adopted and implemented in practice.

Internalisation of external costs
Full-cost accounting internalises ‘externalities’, such as the social and environmental impacts of economic activity, and thus assesses the true costs of production, which in turn should be reflected in market prices. If, for example, the full costs of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions were included in the cost of production, and in market prices, imported food might become considerably more expensive than locally grown produce. Externalities related to the coal industry in the USA in 2008 have been estimated at $US345 billion. That is $1,124 for every man, woman and child in the USA. These externalities included land disturbance, methane emissions, carcinogens, public health costs, fatalities, loss of productivity and climate damage. (Source: American Journal of Public Health, April 2008, Vol 98, No.4).

The economic valuation of non-market assets
Full-cost accounting recognises and accounts for the economic value of non-market assets that are not traded in the market economy, but which nevertheless have real economic value. In assessing the value of a forest, for example, a full set of natural capital accounts will include not only the market value of the timber (as in conventional balance sheets), but also the value of the forest in regulating the climate and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, in protecting watersheds, in preventing soil erosion, in providing habitat for many species, and in providing aesthetic and recreational enjoyment.

From the perspective of a full-cost/benefit analysis, therefore, a ‘healthy forest’ is one that performs all these functions optimally. Indeed, the scientific evidence clearly shows that, when the non-market values of a forest are compromised, the quality of the wood cut also declines.

The replacement of fixed with variable costs to the extent possible
This essentially means that costs would vary according to usage. To give a concrete example, fixed annual payments for car registration and insurance provide no incentives for conservation, and no penalties for unsustainable behaviour. If payments varied by type of vehicle, fuel efficiency, and number of kilometres driven annually, they would reflect a far more accurate picture of the actual social, economic, and environmental impacts of driving.

The mineral development policy states (page 9):

“The adverse social and environmental impacts of mineral extraction can be prevented or mitigated only with effective administration and monitoring of the mining sector, for which creation of an autonomous body with a specific mandate is found very essential at this juncture.”

Thus, perhaps this autonomous body could be charged with the explicit responsibility of coordinating full-cost assessments of current or proposed mining operations. The cost of these assessments would be borne by the mining operators. By ignoring the value of natural and social capital and ecosystem services, GDP is in fact putting an arbitrary value of zero on these vital assets, which is not only far less accurate than an attempt to assign a proper value, but treats these assets as mere externalities that therefore do not get proper policy attention.

Case study: Coal mining in Samdrupjongkhar
A case study on the coalmine in Deothang was conducted as part of the Samdrupjongkhar Initiative research project, as an example of the kind of investigation required for all mining projects (details at www.sji.bt). The study is not to provide any kind of comprehensive overview of mining impacts, but to illustrate the potential dangers that can result when the full costs of mining are not properly considered.

When people working at the coal mine were asked about the working conditions at the mine, many of the villagers were simply happy to have work and did not want to complain. However, others talked about noise and dust created by the transportation of coal. One individual, who no longer lives in the area, but worked at the mine between 1997 and 2001, said that there were many health problems, mostly respiratory, associated with working there, as well as several work-related deaths. People also noted landslides, erosion, dust creation, reduction of agricultural productivity and houses being affected because of erosion and blasts.

While it was not possible to ascertain the health status of the employees at the mine, since no study has been undertaken, coal is known to be hazardous to health. According to the US centre for disease control, both surface and underground coal miners suffer from coal dust exposure and associated lung diseases such as pneumoconiosis (black lung) or anthracosis. The report states that at most risk are those, who cut the coal directly from the coal seams (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Evidence Package for the National Academies’ Review 2006-2007), as is the case of the coal mine in Deothang.

In 2008, data from communities located near coal mines in the US were analysed by University of West Virginia researchers, who found that residents had an increased risk of developing chronic heart, lung, and kidney diseases. According to the data, people, who live in coal mining communities, had a 70 percent increased risk for developing kidney disease, a 64 percent increased risk for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as emphysema, and were 30 percent more likely to report high blood pressure. One of the lead authors of the study concluded: “People in coal-mining communities need better access to healthcare, cleaner air, cleaner water, and stricter enforcement of environmental standards.” (Chronic Illness Linked to Coal-Mining Pollution, March 27, 2008).

Complaints about the dust created by the coal-carrying trucks during the dry season have led the coal mining company to water the roads daily to keep down the dust levels. However, in many places, the result may be just as hazardous to health. The water, when mixed with the spilled coal from the trucks, leaves an iridescent slurry coating the roads and filling the potholes. Invariably, this mixture washes down the hills, polluting agricultural fields, streams, and water sources.

A comprehensive cost benefit study, including both short and long-term costs associated with the existing mines, should be conducted, assessing the full costs of mining against the revenues to the state and employment. The study should also include a study of health impacts on mine workers.

Coal mining also brings to the fore another potentially catastrophic reality for Bhutan: Global warming has serious implications for Bhutan in terms of potentially devastating glacial lake outbursts. Thus, it is highly questionable whether a country committed to climate stability, by vowing to remain a net carbon sink in perpetuity, should be mining and exporting one of the greatest contributors to this global as well as national calamity. The question is particularly pertinent in a country that neither uses nor needs coal for its own development.

Source: Kuenselonline

Buddhism and GNH appear like peas in a pod

Buddhism was so pure when it was born and first delivered to the world. Since then the great vehicle of compassion has been through an evolutionary process of constant change. Today, the way we practise the religion begs the question of whether it is already corrupt? If it is so, then it is a sign of the times. And it is only fitting to explore whether our other values have also suffered the same fate.

The religion has become a sanctuary of some sorts for the unsuccessful and the ambitious. Our practice of it is overwhelmed by the ever increasing reliance on it for success and protection. We have somehow settled down in the belief that praying for the well being of all beings somehow secures our own well being too. Every religious action is linked to our own welfare. We deliberately defy logic and common sense, and believe that our prayers have the “power to liberate” all beings. Numbers seem to matter the most as we target millions and billions bead by bead parrot-fashion. What is expected of us as Buddhists hardly becomes a source of inspiration for our practice? No matter how hard we try to believe in the inerrancy of the religious beliefs that we hold, and acknowledge the power of faith in our lives, it is difficult to wrestle down the inexorable view that Buddhism is certainly not about all these.

In a way, we have succeeded in ‘customising’ the religion to suit our own existence. When Buddhism actually requires us to remain aloof from worldly desires, we tend to use (or misuse) it to reach to those desires. We have become selfish to the extent that we are not even willing to accept what divine providence has to say about us through the numbers on the dice. We roll and reroll it, until the number that lands on the top of it is interpreted in our favour.

As Buddhists, it is challenging to clear one’s way out of the contradiction involving contentment and selflessness on the one hand, and the fervour with which we observe the rites and rituals with a rather strong material objective on the other. Our religious beliefs may be sacrosanct, but challenges such as these do haunt and fluster the ever inquisitive Buddhist minds, who try to make Buddhism relevant in their lives.

Buddhism and GNH appear like peas in a pod, at least in the way we have come to develop our understanding, expectation and the practice of it. Of course, associating the great vehicle of compassion with a development philosophy would be inapt, as the latter pales in comparison to the former by many measures. It nonetheless provides an opportunity to show how GNH too could have been possibly corrupted by the same people, who have corrupted Buddhism.

We are adamant in simplifying the great philosophy into something as narrow as individual happiness, and see it as a pair of hands that feeds and clothes every individual. Such association of the powerful concept with individual happiness only goes to show how it has become corrupt.

How could Bhutan ensure individual happiness, when rich nations like the US and Japan could not? We would be only chasing rainbows in trying to deliver happiness to every individual. It will never be achieved no matter how hard we try, for there is no limit to people’s desire for happiness. When it is in our culture to maintain the lifestyle of the rich, while our bank account might be suffering, how do we sustain such happiness? We have advocates of happiness for the masses, who slam GNH as being “ineffective”. But what is missing in their action is the will to nip something in the bud that will get them to their first base - corruption. There is so much in the rhetoric, but almost nothing in what can actually help achieve what they are advocating and championing. Perhaps the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

There is no denying that GNH represents a basic covenant between a nation and its people. But to say that that is the be-all and end-all in our grand scheme of things is debasing the powerful concept. We have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth, if we believe the Buddha nature in us is still not corrupt. There are those, who chafe under the popular version of the GNH philosophy, wringing their hands to see that the concept be given the due respect and regard it deserves by the Bhutanese themselves first for what it is. We ought to understand that GNH is a common vision for our planet and its well-being. We ought to understand that it is about how we figure in the invisible cost of development in our calculations. We ought to understand that it is about assigning value to everything that is around us. That is why it is quite uncommon to be hit by a pang of realisation that perhaps we might have completely missed the wood for the trees.

But it is not that we do not know about it. We simply do not want to know about it. Sadly, there is a broad public apathy about what GNH is capable of. We want Gyalwong Gakid Pelzom to be dancing right in the middle of our living room. We are in pursuit of our own individual happiness. We have failed to recognise that GNH has come to symbolise the indefatigable spirit of a selfless King in pursuit of a fundamental change in the way we approach advancement into the future. And he needs our support to give it shape. But we are like ships that pass in the night when it comes to working together on GNH and providing him that support. Consequently, we still do not have a basic agreement on what constitutes GNH for us as Bhutanese. It might seem like a red rag to a bull, but it stands to reason that a people that have only their individual happiness in mind will never appreciate the greatness of the profound concept. That way, we are all perhaps complicit in debasing a great vision.

We simply write off GNH as an abstract philosophy and a utopian quest. Buddhism too is an abstract philosophy, and it does not even have an index to measure how enlightened one is. Yet, it has worked and accepted the world over, for and by those, who understood what it truly is, and who have not succumbed to self-serving impulses. How we give GNH the right kind of support depends on how we understand it and appreciate its potential. We cannot afford to have a seven-year itch, for GNH is our conviction. And it has to be the best. But we cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Everybody needs to pitch in with their best. For now, the real concern is that GNH is being corrupted faster than Buddhism. While it took about 2,500 years for the latter to get corrupted, the former took just 40 years. At this rate, we seem to be fighting a rearguard action against the forces from within our backyard. This, coupled with our relentless pursuit of trying to “extract” happiness out of GNH, we will have only ourselves later to blame for stifling the great philosophy to a mere shadow of what the thinker has originally envisioned, and have it sacrificed on the altar of individual happiness.

Source: Kuenselonline

The documentary Bhutan GNH: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness wins Emmys

The documentary Bhutan: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness by Tom Vendetti (a Hawaii based producer, director, cinematographer and editor) was awarded two Emmys at the 39th annual northern California area Emmy awards on May 18. The documentary won in the historical/cultural program/special category; and the second Emmy was awarded to the composer-associate Christopher Hedge for the films musical composition/arrangement.

The one-hour documentary examines the efforts of Bhutan’s government to create gross national happiness (GNH) for its people, by promoting the four pillars of environmental preservation, cultural promotion, economic development and good governance. Each pillar is discussed in detail through interviews with government officials and the local people, who explain the meaning of the middle path as a concept rooted in Buddhism and how it relates to the Bhutanese pursuit of GNH.

The film was distributed in the United States through PBS (the public broadcasting service) and has been screened at several film festivals around the world, including screenings held by the Bhutan Foundation in Washington DC, New York, San Francisco and Taiwan.

A screening of the film is being planned for early June by the Bhutan Foundation. A preview of the film can be viewed on the official website http://www.bhutan-film.com/index.html.

Source: Kuenselonline

GNH philosophy into the country’s economic policies

Much has been done to beef up the country’s economy, just as much has been said about the need to protect its environment that is underpinned by the gross national happiness (GNH) philosophy.

Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley said the government would incorporate the GNH philosophy into the country’s economic policies to promote a ‘green and sustainable economy’.

“We’ll give incentives, tax relief and bonuses to economic activities, promoting a green and sustainable economy with value addition and minimum impact on environment and culture,” the prime minister said.

He said this was already incorporated in the government’s final economic development policy (EDP) document, which will be made public next week.

Source: Kuenselonline

Anything leading to the depletion of resources with minimum benefit to the country, he said, would be discouraged. He explained that exploiting and exporting raw minerals, for instance, would not receive priority. He assured that, rather than terminating the existing industries, they would be encouraged to add value to their products.

“We’ll go for economic activities that ensure highest return, while also ensuring the intergeneration equity in the sharing of natural resources,” the Lyonchhoen said.

Sources said the FDI policy was delayed on the advice of the cabinet to incorporate the philosophy of GNH into the document.

Lyonchhoen said the government would encourage FDI in activities that made Bhutan a regional services hub in health and wellness, education centre, tourism, financial services, data centres and ICT.

He said Bhutan was promoting hydropower, both inside and outside the bilateral framework, and the pursuit of renewable energy sources.

An important component of GNH in economic development, he pointed out, was also the promotion of Bhutan as an organic farming country, which would immensely benefit farmers exporting their products abroad.

The prime minister admitted that, although some of his colleagues in the cabinet, like Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk and Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba favoured accession to WTO, he delayed the process.

He said they were still unclear to questions like how WTO could reconcile with Bhutan’s pursuit of GNH, its impact on Bhutan’s economy and, unlike EDP based on GNH, accession to WTO would mean indiscriminately opening up all barriers to external services and goods.

Bhutan could join WTO any time it wanted, but to withdraw would be difficult and a traumatic process, he said.

On bridging the divide between the big economic policies, GNH and the everyday needs of the people, Lyonchhoen said GNH was also about equitable development and empowerment through not just the ballot but also economic and social empowerment.

He said to achieve that equity and empowerment, the government was focusing on providing essential services like roads, water, electricity, and telecommunications among others.

Lyonchhoen explained that to promote equitable development, the government would provide incentives to businesses that opened in remote areas or those other than established places like Thimphu and Phuentsholing.

He also said the country saw an influx of imported junk food, which most developed nations refused to accept because of their contents.

Products such as carbonated drinks and other juices, which were harmful to people’s health and lead to environmental pollution, he said, would be taxed heavily.

“Some of the main elements of the economic policy will be creating an environment where the population grows as healthy, intelligent and educated people, who will have the capacity to turn into meaningful instruments the power of the ballot,” the prime minister said.

Giving the international context, the prime minister said the present macro economic policies was leading to crises similar to the global financial crisis, pollution and great disparities in wealth. Therefore, he said, Bhutan would have to pursue a different path of GNH that could also be the world’s saviour.

With all the economic activities and growth the country was experiencing, Bhutan, the prime minister said, would be an economically self-reliant country by 2020, no longer dependent on foreign grants.

Gross National Happiness

5th King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Three factors have exerted great influence on the course of Bhutan development. The first being the culture. As Bhutan was never conquered or colonized, the country developed a culture relatively free from outside influence, the institution of monarchy, and a deep sense of nationhood. The second factor is the environment, which is protected by mountainous, often difficult terrain. Thirdly, Vajrayana Buddhism has given the country a view of the world on which the 3rd and 4th Kings based their policies of developing of Bhutan’s potential in every field. This continuing development of Bhutan has been crystallized in a philosophy crafted by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, known as Gross National Happiness (GNH) in the late 1980s. The concept of the GNH defines Bhutan’s development objective as improvement in the happiness and satisfaction of the people rather than growth of Gross National Product (GNP). GNH has been the over reaching development philosophy of Bhutan as the concept has guided the country’s development policies and programmes. GNH suggests that happiness is the ultimate objective of development. It recognizes that there are many dimensions to development other than those associated with Gross National Product (GNP), and that development needs to be understood as a process that seeks to maximize happiness rather than purely economic growth.

The country believes that for a holistic development of the individual and society, it is essential that development achieve a sustainable balance between the economic, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs of the people. This has led to the declared objective of viewing development as a continuous process towards achieving a balance between the material and intangible needs of individuals and society.

The concept reminds the country that the means must always be considered in terms of the end and, therefore, every step in material development and change must be measured and evaluated to ensure that it will lead to happiness, not just more development. Having accepted that the maximization of Gross National Happiness is a philosophy and objective of the country’s development, it was felt necessary to more clearly identify the main areas, and create the condition to enable the people to attain greater happiness. Recognizing that the large range of factors contributes to human well-being and happiness and that it may not be possible to exhaustively define or list everything for the purpose of its development planning, Bhutan has identified four major areas as the main pillars of GNH. These are
• Economic growth and development: If everybody contributed with Jimba (volunteer) actions, working sincerely as a public servant or offering some form of public service, all would reap the benefit of economic progress. Not only would the poor be better off but the lonely would have company.

• Preservation and promotion of culture heritage: Doing jimba (volunteer) is an integral part of Buddhist philosophy. Since the Bhutanese culture is essentially Buddhist, many customs are based on Buddhist ideals. Practicing jimba helps promote Buddhist values, therefore promoting national culture and traditions.

• Preservation and sustainable use of the environment: Performing jimba/public service means taking a holistic view of things, which is thinking beyond ourselves and our time. It is thinking about future generations, about the animals, about the plants, and the environment they live in, or in other words, Mother Nature. Through this mind-set of jimba, we conserve our natural environment.

• And good governance: People who think about doing jimba/public service are guided by sound ethical principles and values like social responsibility. Those doing jimba/public service incorporate and support values and ethical principles by demonstrating accountability, honoring their commitments, and acting in the public interest. This value-oriented and conscious action helps prevent corruption and brings about good governance as they work for the benefit of the country and not for themselves.

Guided by the ideas of Gross National Happiness (GNH), Bhutan has been making steady progress in every sector towards the goal of modernization. Hydroelectric power, economically the most signification sector for Bhutan’s goal of self-sustaining development, has grown impressively. The education, social services and health sector have made great strides forward and continue to be the most important social components of the country’s development programme. The government’s fiscal situation has been improving steadily. Progress has been made in the development of human resource and the legal infrastructure.

News: Gross National Happiness

OUT OF THE PICTURE - A group of homeless people in Thimphu remind society about the difficult search for Gross National Happiness.

Source: Kuenselonline