Living on a low-lying island where sea levels will possibly rise, can be, perhaps a little worrying. Maldives is not only a low-lying country but with its smallest land area of approximately 35,000 square miles, it aims to be the first to go carbon-neutral by 2020.
Associate Director of BeCitizen, Flora Bernard confirmed: “Achieving carbon neutrality by 2020 is possible.” Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed wants his country to commit to using renewable energy, during this year, in 2015. According to this carbon-neutral goal, investments will be made for 155 wind turbines, half a kilometre square of solar panels for rooftops and a biomass plant burning coconut husks. Battery-banks will be available for the times when wind and solar power are not operational.
So this $1.1billion investment is supposed to help homes, businesses and replace petrol and diesel with electrical energy. However, some scientists believe that even if renewable energy is used, sea levels might rise. Therefore Nasheed has bought land space in Australia, as it is reported recently. Nasheed probably will encourage his residents to migrate to Australia soon, if there is a need to.
In March 2009, Nasheed made an important statement. He said: “Climate change is a global emergency. The world is in danger of going into cardiac arrest, yet we behave as we’ve caught a common cold. Today, the Maldives has announced plans to become the world’s most eco-friendly country. I can only hope other nations follow suit.”
Other nations such as Costa Rica, aims to reach its carbon-neutral goal by 2021. It is claimed that this country is one of the poorest in the world. However after its success of planting 5 million trees which soaked up the carbon emissions, Costa Rica continues with this mission.
New Zealand’s carbon-neutral target is to generate 90% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. Another part of their goal is to halve their transport emissions per head by 2040.
Norway is also planning to become a carbon-neutral country. Norway hopes to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. It seems as if Norway has thought about this goal. Norway wants to start by buying carbon offsets in its country. Gradually Norway hopes to install insulation in its homes.
Sweden also wants to become carbon-neutral. By 2050, Sweden hopes to use renewable energy for their lighting and heating. Apparently, Sweden is currently using biogas, composed of waste wood and chicken manure, to fuel their vehicles. And as a precaution, Sweden relies on supplies of ethanol from Brazil.
With many countries competing to become a carbon-neutral country, it’ll be good to find out, which countries will survive the global warming and disastrous effects from Antarctica’s increasingly melting glaciers.
PD
Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed
