Germana Carillo Welcome to Bhutan, the first carbon negative country in the world! Here, in fact, more carbon dioxide is absorbed than it is emitted thanks to some extraordinary policies, built on happiness rather than financial gain, and on its extensive forests, which cover 70% of the territory
@Bhutan: A Kingdom of Happiness/Facebook
Nestled in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is an exceptional Buddhist kingdom, famous not only for its magnificent monasteries and dzong fortresses, sceneries that range from subtropical plains to steep mountain valleys, but also for being known as the “Kingdom of Happiness.” It has been known for replacing Gross Domestic Product with Gross National Happiness as a measure of national progress, bringing nature preservation and the happiness of its citizens to the fore.
Why Bhutan is considered the “Happiest Place on Earth”
Among the happiest countries in the world, Bhutan measures GNH by various factors that include air quality, health of the citizens, education, and strength of social connections. This stands as a perfect example of how Bhutan focuses on holistic growth with environmental sustainability, making it not only one of the most happy nations but one of the greenest also.
It enjoys one of those privileged few countries in the world, which is carbon-negative; this country uses its extensive forests and their sustainable use to absorb more carbon dioxide than it emits.
Starting to commission hydropower plants in different parts of the country since the 1980s, it has been able to commission five of them up to date, hence producing about 42% of its renewable energy. More recently, Bhutan has expanded into solar and biomass energy, trying to meet growing demand with clean resources.
How Bhutan became the first carbon-negative country
The policies on “Alternative Renewable Energy” laid down in 2013 set ambitious targets of 20 megawatts for solar, wind, and biomass until the year 2025. Biomass energy has slowly increased, with biogas produced from crop residues and livestock manure increasingly replacing firewood and coal in rural areas to mitigate its climate effects.
Meanwhile, under its rapid renewable energy expansion, Bhutan has freshly begun building its first utility-scale solar plant, with 17.38 megawatts of capacity, from the Asian Development Bank, now scheduled to be finished by year’s end.
Bhutan forests: natural carbon sinks
About 70% of its 14,670-square-mile area comes under Bhutan’s forests, which capture and store tremendous volumes of carbon dioxide. This means that while the nation emits about 2.2 million tons of CO2, its forests can absorb nearly three times as much. The country also exports most of its hydropower-generated electricity, accounting for about 6 million tons of CO2 emissions offset each year.
A nation committed to conservation and sustainable development
Bhutan also reached carbon negativity through very strict policies on forest conservation; the laws stated that at least 60% of the area had to be covered by forests. More than half of the country is under national parks, wildlife reserves, and protected areas, while efforts to support residents in these areas prevent deforestation, hunting, and pollution.
The government gives farmers all their electricity free, subsidizes all LED lighting, and, in partnership with Nissan, promotes electric vehicles throughout the country to further decrease CO2 emissions. It has also designed wildlife corridors that connect protected areas, allowing Bhutan’s diverse fauna to roam freely. These corridors help not only in the maintenance of biodiversity but also in allowing animal populations to adapt naturally to climate change.
What Bhutan does is truly amazing, could other countries learn from it?
