Countries showing the way

3:12pm Tuesday 19th February 2008

A number of countries have decided to make themselves carbon neutral by a definite date and so set the rest of us a good example.

It is not surprising that Sweden, New Zealand and Iceland are involved but Costa Rica is also showing the same national maturity that makes it the only country to have abolished its army.

Such countries do have a number of advantages such as large land areas compared to small populations and natural features that provide renewable energy opportunities, but the decision-making is impressive and they have made difficult choices.

Sweden, twice the area of the UK, has only nine million people and aims to be completely free of oil within 15 years, though they will still need some gas.

Their electricity comes from hydro stations, nuclear power and wood chips from the pulp industry, and they will make biofuels from forest products. Most housing is heated from ground thermal systems or district heating schemes and the houses are remarkably energy-efficient.

New Zealand, slightly bigger than the UK but with only just over four million people, aims to make 90 per cent of the electricity renewable by 2025 and to halve the emissions from transport by 2040.

They will add wind and more geothermal power to their hydro-electric production and intend to have a remarkable 60 per cent of cars electric by 2040 with another 20 per cent hydrogen-fuelled by 2050, as well as setting biofuel targets in the interim. In addition, 180,000 homes are to be given high-quality insulation and solar hot water systems.

Iceland, just larger than Scotland, has only the same population as the old City of Bradford, and is fortunate to have almost a 100 per cent renewable electricity production from geothermal and hydro power stations. It's a good job that they will use this to make all their vehicles hydrogen-fuelled by 2050 as they have more than one vehicle for every person over 17!

Costa Rica, straddling Central America, is special, being half the size of Iceland, but with four million people, a high literacy rate, mountains, active volcanoes, and eight per cent of the world's species.

They are seriously reducing their carbon output by using hydro power, developing geothermal energy, safeguarding their forests and planting more, using carbon credits. A quarter of the country is protected as national parks and there is a zero emissions airline!

However large countries can be just as ambitious and Germany intends to cut its greenhouse gases by 40 per cent in the next 12 years. Thirty per cent of the electricity will be produced by renewable systems (the UK target is ten per cent), and 500 million euros will be spent each year on home energy efficiency.

Whatever the size there are some excellent national policies that our own government should seek to match.

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