In this article we discuss the 5 best countries to live considering climate change. If you want to read our detailed analysis about climate change, go directly to the 20 Best Countries to Live Considering Climate Change.
5. Sweden
Sweden is a pioneer in climate change policies. It is the first country to pass the environmental protection act in 1967. It has focused on increasing the economy with low carbon emissions. The government plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 85% of its 1990 levels by 2045, along with 100% of renewable energy production. Sweden’s clean energy sector has increased over the years. The country has 4th place in 2021 CCPI. As of 2020, renewable energy accounts for over 50% of its energy consumption. It ranks 5th in our list of best countries to live considering climate change.
Moreover, Sweden’s forests cover more than 50% of the land, comprise 23 million hectares contributing to environmental sustainability. The year 2020 was recorded as the hottest year in Sweden in 160 years. Though the temperatures are moving towards the extremes, the country enjoys a temperate climate due to the Gulf Stream.
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4. Denmark
Denmark has taken the favorable winds to its advantage, making it one of the most climate-friendly countries globally. The Nordic country built the first offshore wind farm in 1991, supplying clean power with zero fuel cost. It gets over 40% of its electricity from wind power. Being the world’s leader in wind technologies, Denmark’s government has decided to allocate €25 billion to artificial wind energy island construction. In late 2020, Denmark came with an aggressive policy of reducing emissions to 70% of its 1990 carbon levels within the next ten years. By 2050, it plans to achieve carbon neutrality, showing that a clean future is predicted for Denmark. The country ranks 6th in 2021 CCPI.
3. Finland
Finland has always been lauded for its climate policy, but it is also at an advantage because of its forests. Finland is Europe’s most heavily forested country, with forests covering 74.2% of its land. This green land makes it one of the least vulnerable countries to climate change. That’s why it ranks higher in our list of best countries to live considering climate change. Due to these forests, wood-based energy accounts for one-fourth of its total energy consumption. However, these facts do not guarantee the county’s escape from global warming. Finland’s temperature is expected to increase by 2.4 degrees Celcius by 2040, which is 1.5 times larger than the rise in temperature globally. Over the years, it has taken certain steps to overcome these existential threats. Finland’s climate change policy states the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and plans to become carbon neutral by 2035. Apart from controlling the climate disaster, the Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022 involves the population managing the risks associated with this change and adapting to the environment. Finland stands at 11th place in 2021 CCPI.
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2. New Zealand
New Zealand has been in the limelight because of its Zero Carbon Amendment Act passed in 2019. The bill focused on reducing biogenic methane by 24-47% and greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. 38% of its land is covered with forests spread over 10.1 million hectares and plans to plant 1 billion trees by 2028. The country has also committed to a carbon-neutral government by 2025. Though New Zealand has taken many steps to mitigate climate change, the country is somehow exposed to the threat for the past few years. Since 1909, NZ’s temperature has increased by 1ºC, and its ocean surface temperatures were 0.76ºC warmer than the 20th C average. This change has resulted in fluctuating temperatures, sea-level rise, precipitation patterns, etc.
Moreover, ocean acidification has also increased 7.1% in the subantarctic surface waters since 1998. Due to these conditions, NZ has declared a climate emergency and plans more policies to curb it. It has grabbed 28th place in the 2021 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI). It ranks 2nd in our list of best countries to live considering climate change.
1. Norway
Norway tops the list of best countries to live considering climate change. It was among the first counties to ratify and enter the Paris Agreement. As a part of its contribution to the agreement, Norway submitted the new strategy stating the reduction of emissions by 50-55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Moreover, Norway is the first country to sell more electric cars than petrol and diesel engines together in 2020. The battery electric vehicles (BEVs) recorded a 54% market share in the country. The country also plans to sell all zero-emission cars by 2025. Since 2020, Norway has spent around $11.76 billion on its fossil fuel industry and allocated $382.2 million to renewable energy. The country’s 98% of the electric production comes from renewable energy resources, mainly hydropower, and it ranks 101/106 globally in air polluted countries, ranked by AQI.
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