Meet The World's Second Carbon Negative Country

     Bhutan is famous as a carbon negative country, and rightfully so. This peaceful nation, which measures its economy in Gross National Happiness, constitutionally mandates that 67 percent of its nation be forest, and mainly exports renewable energy, is paradise.

     Less known but equally deserving of attention is Suriname, a nation of 600,000 people on the northern shores of South America. Enjoying both the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean Sea and the lush jungles of the Amazon, Suriname, like its neighbors, is easily among the most beautiful nations in the world. This beauty is more than superficial; it also demonstrates the power nature has when humans leave it alone. The nation is not immune to the greater threats facing both of these megadiverse ecosystems, but it has a much smaller population density, and, as such, has kept its wilderness areas fairly pristine.

     A huge carbon sink with a populace producing minimal carbon emissions is a recipe for carbon negativity, and Suriname has been able to lay claim to this global environmental boon since at least 2014. As smaller nations like Bhutan and Suriname do more than their part to address the climate crisis, North America and Southeast Asia need to step up to the plate and actively and drastically begin reducing carbon levels.