Transcript for Travel to the front lines of climate change in Bhutan

I'm get a vote for ABC news live and we are diving into a new ABC news digital original feature called. White goal our Bob Woodruff journey into the remote Asian country who time. Whose people say they're on the frontlines. Of climate change Bob Woodruff joins us now all I got us special screening. The of the original last night and I will say that incredible job right you in the team. First tell me about it on and I know it's a place have been trying to go for some time. It's been awhile one of those dream countries that not bid bid to all the years I spent an Asia but it's one of always wanted to see. It's one of those countries that has not been over developed yet. It's still one that's held onto its culture. From all of these all these centuries but a big fear is that if the torrid start to pour in construction begins and that kind of that the building that would have happened. Happening in this country. That it's all gonna change that chance now was to get in there and to see what's happening dwellers with the war we're seeing some of those images right now. I I was in trouble credible no fast food chains no traffic light has no real franchise is yet you know there's not a single traffic light and old futon. You know that the capital is relatively small it's only about 750000. People citizens of that country compared to. In a China and and India are the border countries. That about one point three billion dollar people each and to rip one point three billion people in each country so this country's small. It's right in the middle it's kind of a buffer between those two countries and it's it's culturally it's a she it's a very pure hooted Buddhist country. Those beautiful and scenic images that you capture there that was all to set the stage for what's happening climate whites there yes Obama about water you have the that. Tibet Tibetan plateau which is you know. She start in the Himalayas. All the way down to south east eyes southeast Asia it supplies about 25%. Of the world's water throughout it and it's all through southeast Asia. And as we know since those mountains this home Himalayas are melting faster. That people are calling this the third third poll that the North Pole and the sell all its all of the attention this is like the third poll. It's the third biggest forced us us us but second. Supply water in the world compared to the north north Paul. This is now melting faster it's got a huge impact on those countries that are now blow out downriver. And so that water is coming down to sit down river. And those gleacher lakes. Are bursting its last but I know in the ninety's and it really devastating conflict it was a horrible back there and in the mid 1990s where. Completely changed the culture that pardon of the state and in the country and that people afraid that this could be happening again as the water. The rice mills and as we talk about those rivers surrounding Vuitton are in that region you had a chance to. Goal on one of the rivers and I will say that at my heart pounding when you actually added to the vote. And what other routing what was that like how may we overplay ailment not over but let's have been wrapped dramatic part of the hold of fabrics and all right. That's that's the number three here for a you know the hard to brutal ones are five and we got were wrapped around one's little bit more intense and but it was beautiful we went here to the country was in it was actionable the monsoon season. Which she you should know it's an expensive country to go see there's a mandatory 250 dollars a day. To come as a tourist to visit that country but if you go to the monsoon season you get for 200 dollars a day. But that includes every it was all the food place to stay transportation. So we are able to go during the monsoon season and it rained at the nine days we are there and only rain one half of one of those days it was shocking a Little League. I think what do the water was was was. Fantastic levels to go to go rafting through. And again to rehear Rick reiterate here why it's called white gold is because. This country speaking about harnessing that power of the river. Yes so the of this cub. This is a country that doesn't have personal doesn't have access to the water its internal country so it's not on the oceans. It doesn't have railroads even yet so in order for it to export products can make in com there's not much they can do. They can eventually but they're still developing. Their biggest force of income right now in this country. Is creating electricity through hydropower plants and so that not that we got about five hydropower plants built already get two more being built. We visit one of the new ones what was there to see exactly how this impacting departmental in the country. Because they want this country to be completely independent. In terms of needing energy from the outside in fact they are. They are actually carbon. Negative which means there is in in that country they are actually absorbing into their forests more CO2 than their admitting. So all the other countries in the world were spewing out more CO2 which is warming the world more than we are. More than we're consuming that there were absorbing into the trees and that's when his country's every is the dream that the world will become this way. They are lucky. Because they have not been developed yet there not to that small number of people losses. So the hope is that will be done well but because building those plants. It's not these gorges rivers that that it always has in history at least in that spot would I have piled up so. So that has the brings mixed reaction for those who want to keep it pristine landscape and this country. Natural we we interview the prime that if we totally met the prime minister we got a lot of access to what he said about this topic in the past. With most of most people in the country if the year the facts which are. That they could have energy. Created cleanly. Not by a you know petroleum that can actually make energy through just the flow of the water a lot of he will leave it's OK to have these plots. Those that are fairly strong advocates against it which we met some of those two. They want to keep the the free flow of the rivers forever and ever on that never change. You got up close to the construction for one of the dams. And we saw some shots of bad Yeltsin spoke to a boot needs man who said. Now he's against too many games being built. Fast on several of the rivers that's take a look at one of the clips from. Ops work. You want. Any damage that'll. Yeah maybe. Told you that they do should be some. Big city that. The units if you put it government but he should be all your station assembly mission to get beat. But about this river is because it is PG a single big dividends on and legislate did you let it go you know. Your opposition to it isn't because it destroys the beauty of the country the natural beauty. What's honors it music create pollution kills fish what does the I'm look what what enthusiasts and that gave us any good. Don't the value to do this didn't look. Take care overhaul of the media and all the time it's. Many of heavy balls gave opinion and I hope booted dismal. Once we have the den snow in the media network news it's a little relief. Bobby about rivers already school record and only a paper that voicing. You know he's that's Tobey easy he's a great guy he knows this that's pretty well but he's the one wants it to be very pure in Austin the way it it's always been. He says if you start he that the country needs to have something like that you can't but just make sure his his point really. Is let's control. How many were building and how were building them let's just not let's let the forces from outside the country. In order to make money it would never maybe a lot of corruption just to quickly build these things really fastest. Desperation. Two to make energy to this country don't just do it fast without thinking through it that's really the biggest point of the advocates like the signal that it exists they're not gonna make them disappear. The that'll really kind of destroy the country they don't have this is. As a form of of income but let's do it carefully let's do it without doing it too fast. Bob who tonne is also going with the politics of climate change we know president trump will be US under the pairs climate accord. They know that they're doing with the politics of climate change. Yeah I know I asked and other. Pretty much everybody there in blue Thomas that you think this is man made. Global warming is caused by what we're doing what they see that absolutely. Without question because they're seeing it and they know it. Well us is also they have been as it at salute. Facts that the that the why it is that the ice is melting but they have very pretty good gut feeling about that it is because what we're doing. That also means they can try to figure out a way to stop it slow it down by behaving ourselves not just continued to. Admit as much CO2 as we do. Bob just incredible work from boot time but while I've got you here. North Korea let's talk North Korea for a little bit you've covered North Korea extensively for ABC news I have to ask you Italy's developments president trumps CIA director Mike Pompeo. Secret visit. But Kim Jon gotten. I'm what do you think about that visit and what does that mean. Wolf resort mean. No one expected it we don't know that was happening actually was in. Is in China and China. When Kim Jong then came to visit unexpectedly. President she of such on and then suddenly we've got our own CIA director actually it over there. Which is ending shocked us all I think it gives a little bit I think most people agree that you give this a little some hope. That there could be some kind of agreement if Kim Jong than would actually say he would not. Demanded that US forces would leave. South Korea if he says he will not demand that that's a shock. Because no one assumed he would allow that at me he would not give that up. Until he knows he's gonna get something for sure from the United States. You know he. Think he likes to bring some kind of peace but nobody has much trust and Kim Jung then what does he want to this does just want to have. A moment of of fame to be the first one ever meet with this president states. Could he just want me want to essentially. It technically officially end the war with the United States in the war is not over. Sixty years ago Steele is a war that is still open he wants to at least come an agreement that this would end the war. If he makes that major concession to say that American troops do not have to leave South Korea to talk about the nuclear I mean. That would be a major development it but you don't seem too trusting that. I think the definition denuclearization. Is one of the big question what does that mean it's been said from the very beginning that demands from North Korea and I think all the experts say that. Can come and does not want to give up. The possibility of making his country a nuclear state because if you're a nuclear state which means you the ability to launch any kind of nuclear bomb. If you become a nuclear state you have become much more powerful. As a nation and your treated completely different that's what countries like. Pakistan and India had to come out one's a state that the nuclear state once got to be one as well. He's not gonna give that up what does that mean does that mean if you going to be a new push stages of the news you can have an ICBM that would reach the United States but could you be a nuclear state that has a nuclear bomb. But it it eat he says it will not be nice be on the reached reach the United States maybe that is a way to negotiate its. So the big question here there is what is he gonna give up with the gonna give up but his conduct and playing president truck. And US allies and their boat I think they both are mean this is going to be it could be interest thing even happens you know president. Trump also said that if this when he gets to the meeting and looks like nothing's getting done he'll just pull out right away. He just wanted to school then there's the country by having so called meeting when really all was with some propaganda by Kim Jones them. That we don't know yet but he's a little bit more than his father represented whose father Kim Jong ill never. Never negotiated with anybody. He he visited China of course. And yet relationship. The presidents of China. But there was no interaction with the United States whatsoever now he standings to begin it Doolittle in are actually the United States which may set him apart. From its predecessors but does that appear at the top administration is getting further with talks of North Korea than any other administration. I think that the talk of it I mean we've there's the possible of actually having one which goes beyond anybody before. Something happen who knows will be propaganda nose will just be a show. Will be claim to fame as I said before. We we don't know which have which we nil. And in where's it going to be the other question what does this mean. We're instincts telling you that this. Trop meeting with Kim Jong-un will happen 5050. Yes what do medallist funniest pretty good numbers can data that it could have probably up there. I do you think you'll be there at the coverage and I really appreciate your word from that region and also on your probable. Digital regional feature about like also. I Deb Bob's ABC news digital original feature white gold is out today you can watch it on abcnews.com. And all of our platforms including ABC news app. It was incredible guys please watch it hired base again to incredible comparable Bob Woodruff thanks Bob thanks are on get a vote reporting for ABC news life.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.