4 Nations Happier than the U.S., With Half the Carbon Emissions

2. Switzerland: Low Carbon Electricity is the Key

Photo: Francisco Antunes via flickr

Up in the mountains of Switzerland, they really know how to keep the per capita emissions down--5.5 tonnes per person, lower than even the best states and cities in the U.S.--while still having an amazingly high standard of living. In this case, it all comes down to generating energy from mostly low or no-carbon sources.

Transport in Switzerland still makes up the largest single part of overall energy usage at 34%. Most of that still comes from oil, but 4% does come from electricity so that's a start in the right direction. Residential comes after that at 29% (with oil as half of that usage and a quarter electricity); industrial use is 19% (but nearly half of that is electricity).

One look at how the Swiss generate electricity and you can see why per capita emissions are so low: 51% hydro (while not entirely carbon neutral, it's pretty close, especially compared to coal), 43% nuclear (again, the whole process isn't carbon neutral, but the power itself is), 4% biomass. That's virtually all of its electricity from more or less carbon neutral sources. There are other environmental problems with nuclear power and large scale hydropower, but compared to fossil fuels used elsewhere, it's pretty darn green.

If Switzerland could move more of its transportation to electricity (and could expand electricity production from greener renewable sources to accommodate that), it could easily lower per capita emissions to a level that would be a model for the rest of the world to follow. The stats show amazing human development, sustainable carbon emissions, and high levels of perceived happiness.

3. New Zealand: Low Carbon Electricity Makes Up For Transport Emissions

photo: Phillip Capper via flickr

New Zealand is an interesting case. Like the U.S., transportation energy usage comprises a disproportionate amount of overall demand (44%) and virtually all of that is from oil. But per capita carbon emissions are relatively low, at 7.8 tonnes per person. In terms of human development, New Zealand is a highly developed country (20th in the world), with higher life expectancy than most nations (80 years). So what's their secret?

It's all in the electricity: 65% of it comes from low carbon sources (mostly hydro, but not insignificant amounts of geothermal, plus some wind and biomass). And then consider that electricity makes up four-tenths of industrial usage and three-quarters of residential usage, and the bigger picture starts taking shape.

Greening transportation would really take a bite out of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions. Switching a significant amount of transportation to low carbon fuel sources could make a huge difference, considering so much energy goes into that sector.

4. Colombia: Green Electricity, Warmer Climate Help Out

inyucho via flickr

Colombia is the oddball in this group, in that its per capita carbon emissions are seriously low: 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per person. Columbia is considered to have a medium level of human development: Life expectancy is still over 72 years and there is 92% literacy. It also happens to be, at least as surveyed, a very happy nation. A small increase in energy usage could probably help increase the human development stat, while still keeping per capita emissions down.

A couple of energy factors contribute to this low number: Very little heating is recorded for Colombia, so the warmer climate comes into play. It also happens to have very green energy, with about 80% coming from hydropower.

Other than that, it uses energy slightly less efficiently than Denmark or Switzerland, but much better than the U.S. The way overall energy usage is divided between end-use sectors is much in line with Europe: 32% for transport (mostly oil, but 7% natural gas and biofuels); 29% goes to industry (mostly combustible renewables, natural gas and electricity); 20% residential (other than about 20% natural gas, coming from green-ish sources).

The per capita Gross Domestic Product of Colombia may be low per person, but it's still doing something right: Literacy, life expectancy and happiness are high; per capita emissions are ecologically sustainable. In terms of human development, there are more "developed" places, but there are plenty of places that are worse off, at least statistically.

NOTE: All stats regarding energy usage were derived from the latest International Energy Agency data, some of which is up to three years old. Happiness measurements were based off of World Values Survey data 1995-2007.

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