What’s this? A country that isn’t contributing to climate change, a whole country soaking up and offsetting carbon emissions. Impossible! But that is excatly what Bhutan is doing and has been doing for a very long time. If you don’t believe me click here and listen to their president tell you all about it, or keep reading for my summary or do both. You do you.
Who are they? Bhutan is a tiny country in the Himalayas, sitting between China and India. And when I say small I mean 700,000 people which is equivalent to about two Nottinghams or almost a tenth of a London. They are ruled by a King BUT their king imposed a democracy on the people through their constitution. And while he was there he made it constitutional for a King to retire at 65 AND gave the people a mechanism to impeach their King. It was one of these fabulous kings that came out with the comment that maybe sets Bhutan apart from the rest of us. Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product. This gives Bhutan an incredible power to grow their economy but to do so without comprising their social development, environmental sustainability or cultural preservation. So that’s who they are but what is it this enlightened country are doing.
What are they doing? There is currently (2016) 72% forest cover in Bhutan and a minimum of 60% forest cover for all time is set out in their constitution. 50% of the country is protected and all of this protected land is connected with “biological corridors”. Biological corridors are possibly my favourite thing ever. Just imagine the conversation in the UK. Two blokes sat in the pub, one says to the other “It’s sad that the badgers in the North will never see the South Downs” “Wait wait wait” says the other “What if we made forest roads for the badgers”. Pure class Bhutan love it. This protected forest is what makes Bhutan a carbon neutral country, or even carbon negative. In the video it is stated that Bhutan generates 2.2 million tonnes of CO2 a year, the forest cover absorbs 3x this. So Bhutan with all of this pristine and beautiful nature is sequestrating 4 million tonnes of CO2.
They are also exporting lots and lots of green energy. The fast flowing rivers in this mountainous region are being harnessed for hydropower. In 2016 when this video was recorded they exported enough energy to offset 6 million tonnes of CO2, in 2020 they are expected to offset 17 million tonnes and if they reach their aim of harnessing 50% of the potential hydroenergy in the country they will be able to offset 50 million tonnes of CO2. That’s more CO2 than the city of New York generates in a YEAR.
What can I do? Well this post is a bit different, and there’s no real practical application from this video. All I can do is applaud Bhutan for being truly unique and revolutionary in the way they are doing things. But there is the sad news. Bhutan is doing everything they can for our planet and everyone on it. But the country is in trouble from us. Bhutan contains 2700 glacial lakes, and they are melting. Just one of these lakes flooded its dams and wrecked havoc on the towns below. Imagine the damage all of them could do. So where is the justice, how can I sit here in my warm home, eating whatever I want and driving anywhere I want whilst a country committed to saving this planet floods. I cannot, it’s not a matter of saving the planet for the planets sake, it a matter of justice and doing what is fair for all the people calling this planet home.
The Climate Changed Me 