VIS pitches Moldova as the world’s second fully green country

VIS, a political initiative in formation, wants Moldova to follow Bhutan’s model and pursue a verified status as the world’s second fully green country. The plan ties climate goals to energy, forests, transport, agriculture and waste, with annual public reporting and independent review.

Why it matters: - VIS is trying to turn Moldova’s climate agenda into a national competitiveness strategy, not just an environmental pledge. - The proposal links cleaner energy, protected forests and circular-economy reforms to energy security, jobs, investment and a higher quality of life. - If adopted, the framework would give Moldova a measurable path toward net-negative emissions and a stronger role in Europe’s green transition.

What happened: - VIS – Viitor Independent și Siguranță, an initiative in the process of formation and registration, proposed that Republica Moldova aim to become the world’s second fully green country after Bhutan. - The initiative said “fully green” should be defined through public, measurable criteria, not as a slogan. - Adrian Dulgher, the founder of VIS, said Bhutan showed that nature can be treated as national infrastructure and that Moldova could follow with measurable goals and annual verification.

The details: - VIS said the concept should include net-negative emissions, clean and secure energy, protected forests, sustainable agriculture, efficient buildings, modern transport and sharply reduced waste. - Bhutan is presented by the World Bank as the first country in the world with a negative carbon balance because its forests absorb more carbon dioxide than all sectors emit. - About 72.3% of Bhutan’s territory is forested. - Bhutan’s constitution requires the state to keep at least 60% of the country forested for future generations. - Bhutan built its development model around Gross National Happiness, which measures progress through public health, culture, governance and environmental conservation, not only GDP. - Bhutan relies heavily on hydropower. - In 2021, Bhutan produced almost 11,000 GWh of electricity and exported more than 80% of it to neighboring countries. - Bhutan allocates about 3.2% of GDP to climate and biodiversity. - Bhutan also subsidizes clean electricity for rural homes and has added climate education to school curricula. - VIS said Moldova cannot copy Bhutan mechanically because the two countries have different geographies and economies. - VIS said Moldova can still apply the same discipline through long-term goals, protection of natural capital, low-emission energy and transparent measurement of results. - The proposed Moldovan plan includes expanding solar, wind, biogas and storage capacity without compromising energy security. - The plan also calls for energy renovation of homes, schools, hospitals and public institutions to cut bills and consumption. - Other priorities include cleaner public transport, electric-vehicle infrastructure and modern rail links. - VIS wants Moldova to protect and expand forests, shelterbelts, wetlands and ecological corridors. - The proposal supports regenerative agriculture, soil protection and technologies that reduce water, energy and fertilizer use. - VIS also calls for a circular economy built on separate collection, recycling, reuse, composting and use of agricultural waste. - The initiative said the strategy should create green jobs and attract international investment in energy, agriculture, recycling and clean technologies. - VIS proposed a verifiable national standard that would track annual emissions, carbon absorption by forests and soils, renewable-energy share and progress on transport, buildings and waste. - The definition, stages and costs of the plan should be assessed by independent experts, and progress should be published annually. - Moldova should claim the status only after the criteria are met and transparently verified. - VIS invited energy and environmental experts, universities, farmers, entrepreneurs, the diaspora, local governments and civil-society groups to help build a realistic national strategy.

Between the lines: - The proposal reframes climate policy as state-building, using Bhutan as a proof point for small countries that want environmental protection to become an economic advantage. - The emphasis on independent verification suggests VIS wants to avoid vague green branding and force the debate onto numbers, timelines and accountability. - The plan also signals an effort to broaden the coalition behind green policy by bringing in business, local authorities and the diaspora.

What's next: - VIS wants specialists to help shape the strategy and define the national standard. - The initiative said Moldova would only be able to claim the title after meeting and publicly verifying the chosen criteria. - The group’s next test is whether it can turn an ambitious climate vision into a costed, technically credible roadmap.