[ THE ONLY CARBON NEGATIVE NATION ON EARTH ]

Almost all countries are, of course, carbon positive, meaning their total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are anything higher than zero. Plenty of countries are hoping to decarbonize and become carbon neutral nations as soon as possible, but with the exception of very small island nations, this essentially hasn’t happened yet.

One country, however, has been referred to by several places as the world’s first (and only) carbon negative country, in that it removes four times more GHGs than it produces.

That sovereign carbon sink, ladies and gentlemen, is Bhutan. So what’s going on here, exactly - and is it the only carbon negative nation on Earth?

Smaller populations, access to hydroelectric (see: Portugal) and geothermal (see: Iceland) power sources, a well-built grid, a lower reliance on petroleum-chugging transportation, a policy path to decarbonization, substantial forest cover, sustainable agriculture, an uncomplicated economic situation, and more all help a country have a smaller carbon footprint than others.

Investing in universally accessible solar and wind power generation systems obviously helps, and it is tentatively possible for much larger, industrialized, populous nations to get to 100 percent renewables. The proliferation of clean energy doesn’t mean you’ll get close to carbon neutral though – you might need nuclear power and carbon capture systems too. Besides, what about all that petroleum used in transportation?

So, in sum, what Bhutan is doing is marvelous, and its environmentally sensitive policies are to be learned from by any nation. Getting more countries to go even carbon neutral, however, let alone carbon negative, is a lot more complicated than it may seem.

Source: iflscience