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The gentle whirring of the wind turbine speaks volumes of Bhutan's record as the world's only carbon negative country, but major challenges stand in the way of the Himalayan kingdom's decision to follow a green path over rampant economic expansion.

The mountainous state, holding only its third election on October 18, absorbs three times more CO2 than it emits, thanks mainly to the lush forests covering 72 per cent of its land.

Famed as the "last Shangri-La" for using happiness as a measure of success, Switzerland-sized Bhutan has been careful to keep its environment pristine, often by sacrificing profits.

The nation of 800,000 has restricted tourist numbers with a daily fee of $250 per visitor in high season, helping keep at bay the kind of boom that has ravaged other scenic hotspots.

In May, Bhutan opted out of an India-backed regional road connectivity project mainly over concerns that trucks coming in from other countries will pollute its air.

The constitution stipulates that at least 60 per cent of Bhutan must be covered in forest, putting a brake on farming and a potentially lucrative timber industry.

"There was a great temptation to dig into our forest wealth but we thought of the longer term," said Dasho Paljor Dorji from Bhutan's National Environment Commission.

Five-year plan

Under its 11th five-year-plan, Bhutan aims to reduce "substantially" its fossil fuel imports by 2020. It has just 100 electric cars so far but wants to increase numbers and plans to introduce a nationwide network of charging stations. In 2016 it installed its first wind turbines.&nbsp;

A walk through spick and span Thimpu -- Asia's only capital city with no traffic lights -- gives a glimpse of Bhutan's green commitment.

A rare sight in South Asia, heavy road-cleaning vehicles sweep the streets in slow circular motions, while trucks collect organic waste from households.

Just two hours away in Punakha district earthmovers and bulldozers are chugging away at a hydropower project.

It is one of the 10 the country aims to build as part of its plan to remain carbon neutral.

All existing and future hydropower projects are financed by its friend and biggest partner India.

Hydropower was also Bhutan's largest export in 2016, accounting for 32.4 per cent of the country's total exports and eight per cent of its GDP, according to the Asian Development Bank.

All of the energy currently goes to India but there are plans to export also to Bangladesh.

But concerns have been growing over the impact of dams on biodiversity especially as Bhutan shifts from low-impact "run-of-the-river" dams, which do not require large reservoirs, to larger-scale barriers that do.

Heavy price

And being able to afford staying on a green path depends on Bhutan receiving outside funding, something in doubt since President Donald Trump announced last year that the US would withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate accord.

Under that accord, wealthy nations agreed to establish an annual $100-billion fund to help developing nations adapt to a heating planet.

Bhutan is keenly feeling the ravages of climate change, from melting glaciers, changing crop patterns to the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

Temperatures have started touching 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), alarming locals unused to heat and humidity.

"Even the snowfall pattern has changed. Earlier it would snow for a few days, now it doesn't even last a day," Tenzin Wangmo, Bhutan's chief environment officer, told AFP.

Wangmo said the warmer climes meant paddy fields dot places like Bumthang that never grew rice in the past.&nbsp;

"Climate change is not in our control. We haven't done anything but we are paying a heavy price," she said.

Furthermore, new drainage systems required to prevent flooding downstream require the deployment of workers in remote areas high in the mountains, Wangmo explained.

"A lot of money and manpower is needed for such measures. But where is the funding and capacity-building?"

A Green Climate Fund (GCF) delegation that visited Bhutan in August said it would help the country's progress on a low-emission and climate-resilient path.

"I think Bhutan's contribution to the global community through keeping its carbon sinks intact, its nature as pristine as possible is a great one," said Dorji.

"Our cause is worth supporting. We should be rewarded equally, if not more."

The gentle whirring of the wind turbine speaks volumes of Bhutan's record as the world's only carbon negative country, but major challenges stand in the way of the Himalayan kingdom's decision to follow a green path over rampant economic expansion.

The gentle whirring of the wind turbine speaks volumes of Bhutan's record as the world's only carbon negative country, but major challenges stand in the way of the Himalayan kingdom's decision to follow a green path over rampant economic expansion. The mountainous state, holding only its third election on October 18, absorbs three times more CO2 than it emits, thanks mainly to the lush forests covering 72 per cent of its land. Famed as the "last Shangri-La" for using happiness as a measure of success, Switzerland-sized Bhutan has been careful to keep its environment pristine, often by sacrificing profits. The nation of 800,000 has restricted tourist numbers with a daily fee of $250 per visitor in high season, helping keep at bay the kind of boom that has ravaged other scenic hotspots. In May, Bhutan opted out of an India-backed regional road connectivity project mainly over concerns that trucks coming in from other countries will pollute its air. The constitution stipulates that at least 60 per cent of Bhutan must be covered in forest, putting a brake on farming and a potentially lucrative timber industry. "There was a great temptation to dig into our forest wealth but we thought of the longer term," said Dasho Paljor Dorji from Bhutan's National Environment Commission. Five-year plan Under its 11th five-year-plan, Bhutan aims to reduce "substantially" its fossil fuel imports by 2020. It has just 100 electric cars so far but wants to increase numbers and plans to introduce a nationwide network of charging stations. In 2016 it installed its first wind turbines. A walk through spick and span Thimpu -- Asia's only capital city with no traffic lights -- gives a glimpse of Bhutan's green commitment. A rare sight in South Asia, heavy road-cleaning vehicles sweep the streets in slow circular motions, while trucks collect organic waste from households. Just two hours away in Punakha district earthmovers and bulldozers are chugging away at a hydropower project. It is one of the 10 the country aims to build as part of its plan to remain carbon neutral. All existing and future hydropower projects are financed by its friend and biggest partner India. Hydropower was also Bhutan's largest export in 2016, accounting for 32.4 per cent of the country's total exports and eight per cent of its GDP, according to the Asian Development Bank. All of the energy currently goes to India but there are plans to export also to Bangladesh. But concerns have been growing over the impact of dams on biodiversity especially as Bhutan shifts from low-impact "run-of-the-river" dams, which do not require large reservoirs, to larger-scale barriers that do. Heavy price And being able to afford staying on a green path depends on Bhutan receiving outside funding, something in doubt since President Donald Trump announced last year that the US would withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate accord. Under that accord, wealthy nations agreed to establish an annual $100-billion fund to help developing nations adapt to a heating planet. Bhutan is keenly feeling the ravages of climate change, from melting glaciers, changing crop patterns to the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Temperatures have started touching 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), alarming locals unused to heat and humidity. "Even the snowfall pattern has changed. Earlier it would snow for a few days, now it doesn't even last a day," Tenzin Wangmo, Bhutan's chief environment officer, told AFP. Wangmo said the warmer climes meant paddy fields dot places like Bumthang that never grew rice in the past. "Climate change is not in our control. We haven't done anything but we are paying a heavy price," she said. Furthermore, new drainage systems required to prevent flooding downstream require the deployment of workers in remote areas high in the mountains, Wangmo explained. "A lot of money and manpower is needed for such measures. But where is the funding and capacity-building?" A Green Climate Fund (GCF) delegation that visited Bhutan in August said it would help the country's progress on a low-emission and climate-resilient path. "I think Bhutan's contribution to the global community through keeping its carbon sinks intact, its nature as pristine as possible is a great one," said Dorji. "Our cause is worth supporting. We should be rewarded equally, if not more."

'Carbon sink' Bhutan counts cost of plans for green future

The carbon dioxide emissions that drive global warming, flat since 2014, are set to rise two percent this year, dashing hopes they had peaked, scientists reported at UN climate talks Monday.

&quot;This is very disappointing,&quot; said Corinne Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia and lead author of a major study detailing the findings.&nbsp;

&quot;With global CO2 emissions from human activities estimated at 41 billion tonnes for 2017, time is running out on our ability to keep warming below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), let alone 1.5 C.&quot;

The 196-nation Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, calls for capping global warming at 2 C below pre-industrial levels.

With the planet out of kilter after only one degree of warming -- enough to amplify deadly heatwaves, droughts, and superstorms -- the treaty also vows to explore the feasibility of holding the line at 1.5 C.

Earth is overheating due to the burning of oil, gas and especially coal to power the global economy. Deforestation also plays a critical role.

&quot;The news that emissions are rising after a three-year hiatus is a giant leap backward for humankind,&quot; said Amy Luers, a climate policy advisor to Barack Obama and executive director of Future Earth, which co-sponsored the research.

This year&#39;s climate summit is presided by Fiji, one of the dozens of small island nations whose very existence is threatened by rising seas engorged by warmer water and melt-off from ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica.

Thousands of diplomats in Bonn are negotiating the &quot;rulebook&quot; for the Paris pact, which goes into effect in 2020.

To stay below the 2 C threshold, greenhouse gas emissions should peak and begin to curve downward by 2020, earlier research has shown.

Stalled CO2 emissions from 2014 through 2016 -- due to better energy efficiency, a boom in renewables, and reduced coal use in China -- raised expectations that the world had turned the corner.

Those hopes were premature.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;As each year ticks by, the chances of avoiding 2 C of warming continue to diminish,&quot; said co-author Glen Peters, research director at Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway.

&quot;Given that 2 C is extremely unlikely based on current progress, then 1.5 C is a distant dream,&quot; he told AFP.

The study fingered China as the single largest cause of resurgent fossil fuel emissions in 2017, with the country&#39;s coal, oil and natural gas use up three, five and 12 percent, respectively.

Earth outside the safe zone&nbsp;

China alone accounts for nearly 30 percent of global carbon pollution.

Emissions from India -- the world&#39;s fourth largest emitter after the United States and the European Union -- are projected to grow by two percent, down from a 6.7-percent increase the year before.

2017 CO2 emissions in the United States will drop by only 0.4 percent, compared to 1.2 percent annually over the previous decade.

For the first time in five years, US coal use is projected to rise.&nbsp;

&quot;Human-induced warming has accelerated over the past few years despite the slowdown in carbon dioxide emissions because of other drivers of climate change, notably methane,&quot; said Myles Allen, a professor at the University of Oxford, commenting on the findings.

The Paris Agreement rests on voluntary carbon-cutting pledges from virtually every country in the world.

But even if fulfilled, those promissory notes are not enough to keep Earth in the safe zone, and would still see global temperatures rise a devastating 3 C (5.6 F) by the end of the century.

&quot;Global commitments made in Paris to reduce emissions are still not being matched by actions,&quot; said Peters.

The bottom line, say experts, is that the global economy is not shifting quickly enough from fossil fuels to low- or zero-carbon energy.&nbsp;

Solar and wind energy have grown 14 percent annually since 2012, but still only account for a tiny fraction -- less than four percent -- of global energy consumption.

The transition from dirty to clean energy has been slowed by oil, gas and coal subsidies that topped $320 million dollars (270 million euros) in 2015, according to the International Energy Agency.

Oceans and forests combined absorbed over half of the CO2 emissions from human activity, with the rest staying in the atmosphere, the study showed.&nbsp;

&quot;We would expect that the carbon sinks will eventually weaken as temperatures continue to rise, but how much and how fast is an active area of research,&quot; said Peters.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meanwhile, released a report Monday showing that climate change now imperils one in four natural World Heritage sites, including coral reefs, glaciers, and wetlands -- nearly double the number from just three years ago.

Thousands of diplomats in Bonn are negotiating the "rulebook" for the Paris pact, which goes into effect in 2020

The carbon dioxide emissions that drive global warming, flat since 2014, are set to rise two percent this year, dashing hopes they had peaked, scientists reported at UN climate talks Monday. "This is very disappointing," said Corinne Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia and lead author of a major study detailing the findings. "With global CO2 emissions from human activities estimated at 41 billion tonnes for 2017, time is running out on our ability to keep warming below two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), let alone 1.5 C." The 196-nation Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, calls for capping global warming at 2 C below pre-industrial levels. With the planet out of kilter after only one degree of warming -- enough to amplify deadly heatwaves, droughts, and superstorms -- the treaty also vows to explore the feasibility of holding the line at 1.5 C. Earth is overheating due to the burning of oil, gas and especially coal to power the global economy. Deforestation also plays a critical role. "The news that emissions are rising after a three-year hiatus is a giant leap backward for humankind," said Amy Luers, a climate policy advisor to Barack Obama and executive director of Future Earth, which co-sponsored the research. This year's climate summit is presided by Fiji, one of the dozens of small island nations whose very existence is threatened by rising seas engorged by warmer water and melt-off from ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica. Thousands of diplomats in Bonn are negotiating the "rulebook" for the Paris pact, which goes into effect in 2020. To stay below the 2 C threshold, greenhouse gas emissions should peak and begin to curve downward by 2020, earlier research has shown. Stalled CO2 emissions from 2014 through 2016 -- due to better energy efficiency, a boom in renewables, and reduced coal use in China -- raised expectations that the world had turned the corner. Those hopes were premature. "As each year ticks by, the chances of avoiding 2 C of warming continue to diminish," said co-author Glen Peters, research director at Center for International Climate Research in Oslo, Norway. "Given that 2 C is extremely unlikely based on current progress, then 1.5 C is a distant dream," he told AFP. The study fingered China as the single largest cause of resurgent fossil fuel emissions in 2017, with the country's coal, oil and natural gas use up three, five and 12 percent, respectively. Earth outside the safe zone China alone accounts for nearly 30 percent of global carbon pollution. Emissions from India -- the world's fourth largest emitter after the United States and the European Union -- are projected to grow by two percent, down from a 6.7-percent increase the year before. 2017 CO2 emissions in the United States will drop by only 0.4 percent, compared to 1.2 percent annually over the previous decade. For the first time in five years, US coal use is projected to rise. "Human-induced warming has accelerated over the past few years despite the slowdown in carbon dioxide emissions because of other drivers of climate change, notably methane," said Myles Allen, a professor at the University of Oxford, commenting on the findings. The Paris Agreement rests on voluntary carbon-cutting pledges from virtually every country in the world. But even if fulfilled, those promissory notes are not enough to keep Earth in the safe zone, and would still see global temperatures rise a devastating 3 C (5.6 F) by the end of the century. "Global commitments made in Paris to reduce emissions are still not being matched by actions," said Peters. The bottom line, say experts, is that the global economy is not shifting quickly enough from fossil fuels to low- or zero-carbon energy. Solar and wind energy have grown 14 percent annually since 2012, but still only account for a tiny fraction -- less than four percent -- of global energy consumption. The transition from dirty to clean energy has been slowed by oil, gas and coal subsidies that topped $320 million dollars (270 million euros) in 2015, according to the International Energy Agency. Oceans and forests combined absorbed over half of the CO2 emissions from human activity, with the rest staying in the atmosphere, the study showed. "We would expect that the carbon sinks will eventually weaken as temperatures continue to rise, but how much and how fast is an active area of research," said Peters. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meanwhile, released a report Monday showing that climate change now imperils one in four natural World Heritage sites, including coral reefs, glaciers, and wetlands -- nearly double the number from just three years ago.

Global 2 per cent rise in CO2 'giant leap backwards for humankind'

Carbon dioxide or CO2 in atmosphere was at an all-time high in 2016 after witnessing an unprecedented surge in the past 70 years, the World Meteorological Organisation&#39;s said on Monday citing its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It also said that only drastic measures to meet targets set by the Paris climate agreement will help.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surged at a record-breaking speed in 2016,&quot; the World Meteorological Organisation said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
In fact, last year&#39;s increase in CO2 was 50 per cent higher than the average of the past 10 years.&nbsp;

The agency attributed the spike in greenhouse gases to &quot;a combination of human activities and a strong El Nino event&quot;.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Greenhouse Gas Bulletin: atmospheric levels of CO2 surged at a record speed in 2016 to 403.33 ppm in 2016 because of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElNi%C3%B1o?
src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElNi&ntilde;o</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChange?
src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateChange</a> <a href="https://t.co/kJDyNaWtXV">pic.twitter.com/kJDyNaWtXV</a>
&mdash; WMO | OMM (@WMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WMO/status/924939183856214016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
&nbsp; <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The UN weather agency&#39;s Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks dangerous gases in atmosphere in the post-industrial era (since 1750).&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The Earth experienced similar CO2 concentration rates three to five million years ago when the sea level was up to 20 metres (66 feet) higher than now, the report said.&nbsp;

&quot;Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, we will be heading for dangerous temperature increases by the end of this century, well above the target set by the Paris climate change agreement,&quot; WMO chief Petteri Taalas said in a statement.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
US President Donald Trump announced in June that his country would like to pull out of the historic Paris agreement approved by 196 countries in 2015. Those nations remaining with the accord, however, decided to push ahead with the agreement without US and plan to press ahead with the agenda at the climate talks in Bonn, Germany next week. Delegates from 196 countries meet in 
Bonn between November 6 and 17 deliberate on shifting the world economy away from fossil fuels and to develop a &quot;rule book&quot; in that connection.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;The numbers don&#39;t lie. We are still emitting far too much and this needs to be reversed,&quot; the head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in a statement, reacting to the new report. &quot;What we need now is global political will and a new sense of urgency.&quot;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks concentrations of gasses in the atmosphere, rather than emissions with data compiled from a monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii.&nbsp;

Carbon dioxide in atmosphere witnessed an unprecedented surge in the past 70 years, the World Meteorological Organisation's said citing its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin

Carbon dioxide or CO2 in atmosphere was at an all-time high in 2016 after witnessing an unprecedented surge in the past 70 years, the World Meteorological Organisation's said on Monday citing its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin said. It also said that only drastic measures to meet targets set by the Paris climate agreement will help. "Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surged at a record-breaking speed in 2016," the World Meteorological Organisation said. In fact, last year's increase in CO2 was 50 per cent higher than the average of the past 10 years. The agency attributed the spike in greenhouse gases to "a combination of human activities and a strong El Nino event". Greenhouse Gas Bulletin: atmospheric levels of CO2 surged at a record speed in 2016 to 403.33 ppm in 2016 because of #ElNiño, #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/kJDyNaWtXV — WMO | OMM (@WMO) October 30, 2017 × The UN weather agency's Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks dangerous gases in atmosphere in the post-industrial era (since 1750). The Earth experienced similar CO2 concentration rates three to five million years ago when the sea level was up to 20 metres (66 feet) higher than now, the report said. "Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, we will be heading for dangerous temperature increases by the end of this century, well above the target set by the Paris climate change agreement," WMO chief Petteri Taalas said in a statement. US President Donald Trump announced in June that his country would like to pull out of the historic Paris agreement approved by 196 countries in 2015. Those nations remaining with the accord, however, decided to push ahead with the agreement without US and plan to press ahead with the agenda at the climate talks in Bonn, Germany next week. Delegates from 196 countries meet in Bonn between November 6 and 17 deliberate on shifting the world economy away from fossil fuels and to develop a "rule book" in that connection. "The numbers don't lie. We are still emitting far too much and this needs to be reversed," the head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in a statement, reacting to the new report. "What we need now is global political will and a new sense of urgency." The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks concentrations of gasses in the atmosphere, rather than emissions with data compiled from a monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii.

CO2 in atmosphere hit record high in 2016

European carmakers offered a further 20 percent cut in average carbon dioxide emissions for their vehicles in the next round of EU goals currently being drawn up, but said full compliance should wait until 2030 and remain conditional on consumer uptake of electrified cars.

The industry needs a &quot;clear and foreseeable time frame&quot; for emission goals beyond 2021, when a new limit of 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre is due to enter force, said Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche, who currently chairs ACEA, the main European carmakers&#39; association.

Europe&#39;s powerful car industry has come under fire since Volkswagen admitted to cheating on emission tests in the United States.

The further 20 per cent cut proposed by ACEA would reduce average CO2 emission goals to 76 grammes per kilometre.

Full implementation of the next round of goals should be conditional on consumer acceptance of the dozens of electric cars and rechargeable hybrids currently in development, Zetsche told reporters at the Frankfurt auto show.

During a mid-term review in 2025 the 20 per cent reduction goal could be either raised or lowered depending not only on the uptake of electric cars but also on the availability of battery re-charging infrastructure, he added.

&quot;This conditionality principle links Europe&#39;s long-term climate objectives to the reality of the market,&quot; he said.

Zetsche said the latest generation of diesel vehicles needed to remain part of the industry&#39;s efforts to decarbonise road transport as long as the market share of electric vehicles remained low.

According to ACEA data, chargeable electric vehicles made up 1.2 per cent of new car sales in the first half of this year.

&quot;Any rash move away from this technology (diesel) will make it more difficult for our industry to meet the European Commission targets,&quot; he said.

The industry needs a "clear and foreseeable time frame" for emission goals beyond 2021, when a new limit of 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre is due to enter force, said Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche, who currently chairs ACEA, the main European carmakers' association.

European carmakers offered a further 20 percent cut in average carbon dioxide emissions for their vehicles in the next round of EU goals currently being drawn up, but said full compliance should wait until 2030 and remain conditional on consumer uptake of electrified cars. The industry needs a "clear and foreseeable time frame" for emission goals beyond 2021, when a new limit of 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre is due to enter force, said Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche, who currently chairs ACEA, the main European carmakers' association. Europe's powerful car industry has come under fire since Volkswagen admitted to cheating on emission tests in the United States. The further 20 per cent cut proposed by ACEA would reduce average CO2 emission goals to 76 grammes per kilometre. Full implementation of the next round of goals should be conditional on consumer acceptance of the dozens of electric cars and rechargeable hybrids currently in development, Zetsche told reporters at the Frankfurt auto show. During a mid-term review in 2025 the 20 per cent reduction goal could be either raised or lowered depending not only on the uptake of electric cars but also on the availability of battery re-charging infrastructure, he added. "This conditionality principle links Europe's long-term climate objectives to the reality of the market," he said. Zetsche said the latest generation of diesel vehicles needed to remain part of the industry's efforts to decarbonise road transport as long as the market share of electric vehicles remained low. According to ACEA data, chargeable electric vehicles made up 1.2 per cent of new car sales in the first half of this year. "Any rash move away from this technology (diesel) will make it more difficult for our industry to meet the European Commission targets," he said.

EU carmakers offer conditional 20 per cent CO2 cut by 2030

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