Putting the Earth First in the Tiny Kingdom of Bhutan

There are certain signs you notice about an eco-friendly home or neighborhood, like composting bins, for example, or plenty of well-used recycling containers. Throw in a good number of bike paths or user-friendly mass transit systems, and it’s likely the whole town has a passion for our planet. But what does it look like when an entire nation decides to put our Earth first?

Kingdom of Bhutan

Welcome to Bhutan, a tiny kingdom nestled along the eastern edge of the Himalayas and one of the most eco-friendly countries on Earth. Bhutan is so tuned into the environment that, even though the country is already 72% forested, every household recently planted a tree to commemorate the birth of a new Royal Child. A symbol of longevity, health, beauty and compassion, the trees were a fitting choice for such a momentous occasion, especially in a country so devoted to preserving the environment.

However, Bhutan’s eco-friendly roots go much deeper than simply planting trees.

An Eco-Friendly Foundation

Bhutan is firmly grounded in the belief that every citizen should do his or her part to support the environment—so much so that this principle is woven into its very constitution. Here’s an excerpt, which serves as a reminder to all citizens:

“Every Bhutanese is a trustee of the Kingdom’s natural resources and environment for the benefit of the present and future generations and it is the fundamental duty of every citizen to contribute to the protection of the natural environment, conservation of the rich biodiversity of Bhutan and prevention of all forms of ecological degradation including noise, visual and physical pollution through the adoption and support of environment friendly practices and policies.”

Imagine the world if everyone held firmly to such values as these.

Biologically Diverse

It’s easy to see why the Bhutanese place such a high value on the natural environment. Geographically, Bhutan is one of the most diverse countries on the planet, with steep mountain ranges, a network of swift rivers and valleys, and gentle foothills and plains, all within a space roughly the size of Switzerland. Its diverse terrain and vast range of climate conditions, including five distinct seasons—summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring—make it global biodiversity hotspot. In fact, the Eastern Himalayas, where Bhutan is located, are among the world’s globally outstanding ecoregions.

Carbon Negative

While Bhutan isn’t currently 100% powered by renewable energy, its fast-moving Himalayan rivers are responsible for its primary source of energy as well as its largest export, hydroelectricity. And because hydroelectric power is the country’s major source of energy, it has no significant greenhouse emissions. In fact, the limited amount of greenhouse gases the country does produce are effectively nullified by its immense forests, which act as an “carbon sink,” absorbing over six million tons of CO₂ every year. Because of this, Bhutan is one of just a few countries in the world that can claim to be carbon negative.

National flag of Bhutan

Proactive Initiatives

Bhutan is also committed to maintaining at least 60% of its land area under forest cover and much of its territory as national parks, reserves and other protected areas. In a recent interview with NPR, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, said that while more than half of the country is currently protected as national parks and nature reserves, his country wanted to invest “significantly more” in its parks. Bhutan’s protected lands are connected through a large network of biological corridors, allowing animals to freely migrate throughout the country.

There’s a lot more we could say about eco-friendly Bhutan, including a national program designed to help the kingdom become 100% organic by 2020, and the fact that success is measured based on Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product. Ready to go? If you do decide to visit, just note that tourists are subject to a US$250 daily fee, which covers accommodations, transportation within the country, a guide and even food.

What do you think about this amazing eco-friendly country? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below—we’d love to hear from you!

Resources:
Wikipedia: Bhutan
Good News Network: World’s Most Eco-Friendly Country Hails Newborn Prince in a Perfect Way
Minds: Bhutan, the World’s most eco-friendly country, just planted 108,000 trees to celebrate their new prince
WWF: Eastern Himalayas
WWF: Southern Asia
NPR: Gross National Happiness: Bhutan’s Unique Measurement
EcoWatch: This Country Is Already Carbon Neutral and Now Plans to Go 100% Organic and Zero-Waste
Small Planet Institute: Bhutan commitment to biodiversity 60% of land area under forest cover
Lonely Planet: Money and costs

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