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| Costa Rica Launches Environmental Protection Law |
| Friday, 06 June 2008 | |
 (TBT) Costa Rica signed a $90 million environmental protection law yesterday, marking the start of World Environment Day festivities across the country. Energy and Environment Minister Roberto Dobles confirmed Thursday’s approval of the Proyecto EcoMercados I, phase two of a project launched in 2001 by the National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO) to pay landowners and businesses for environmental protection services. The decree was signed at the Third Environmental Fair in San José, where Costa Rica was regional host for World Environment Day.  Photo Zoraida Diaz: Green San Francisco Estuary. Tamarindo-Playa Grande “It’s a great honor, and I think it is thanks to our efforts with such programs as our payment for forestry services, our “Plant a Tree” environmental education program, the efforts of the tourism industry, research into ‘clean’ energy and biofuels, among others — these explain why Costa Rica is heading these events.” New Zealand is the global host of the World Environment Day, launched by the United Nations in 1972 to draw attention to critical environment issues. This year’s slogan, “Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy”, strikes a particularly resonant note in Costa Rica, which drew worldwide attention last year with its pledge to become the world’s first carbon neutral country by 2021. “In Costa Rica we know that we can’t waste time in futile discussions; the fact is we have an enormous global challenge, the likes of which we have never faced, and it’s up to each of us to face it regardless of our responsibility in creating it,” said Vice-President Laura Chinchilla at the Environment Fair, which featured stands and seminars relating to a diversity of environmental themes. Reforestation and forest protection form a big part of the country’s commitment toward carbon neutrality, as trees ‘lock down’ a large part of the CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. “This year the theme is definitely climate change,” Minister Dobles told The Beach Times. “The goal is to find a carbon balance. “Carbon dioxide is directly linked to human activities; humans are carbon addicts. We must all, individuals, businesses and social groups commit to reducing carbon emissions.”  Photo Courtesy Mike Grace: Graceful Landing. Two orcas frolicked and belly flopped in the wake of a sport fishing vessel as it was returning after a day at sea to the Crocodile Bay Resort, in the Southern Zone of the country The government has also pledged some $47 million for its part, to be generated from fuel and water taxes. The money will be used to compensate landowners for their ‘environmental services’ — through reforestation and the protection of existing trees, water resources, biodiversity, ecosystems and natural scenic beauty. The Payment for Environmental Services Program (PESP), as it is known, is part of a new incentive-based concept for environmental protection, offering financial rewards (up to $64 per hectare) to those who actively protect or improve vital environmental resources. The United Nations Environmental Protection Program has also announced a pledge of $900,000 to help Costa Rica carry out a study of its water resources in the face of climate change. Over the course of the next three years, the country will receive the funding to study how climate change will impact national water systems, and how to reinforce existing infrastructure to face that change. “Environmental degradation should be an urgent concern for us all,” emphasized Minister Dobles. “We live in the environment, the environment is everything. We cannot be apart from it. “The contamination and deterioration of the air, water and natural resources is directly related to the quality of life we want.” His ministry has also committed to planting seven million trees this year, as part of the ‘A Qué Sembrás un Árbol’ (Plant a Tree) campaign launched last year, when nearly six million trees were planted. Last week, the Costa Rica Tourism Board unveiled its plan to offset climate change by making the tourism industry climate neutral by 2021. The first phase will target hotels and transportation within the sector, and starting this year, will focus on reducing fuel and energy consumption, encouraging the use of energy-efficient appliances, grey water recycling and reforestation programs for tourist destinations.  Photo Zoraida Diaz: Santa Cruz Mayor Jorge Chavarria plants tree at Sea Breeze Development Project near 27 de Abril. Later efforts will target smaller tourism businesses, such as tour operators, restaurants and theme parks. The Ministries of Health and the Environment also announced this week a plan to promote recycling programs across the country’s municipalities. At the moment, very few formal recycling programs exist in Costa Rica; however, many private companies (the majority of them in the Central Valley) accept and/or collect recyclables such as plastic, glass, paper, and metals, in some cases even paying by weight. A commission to oversee the initiative will be formed under the Ministry of Health, to arm municipalities with the personnel, training and funding needed to launch recycling programs. Earlier this year, the plan to introduce ethanol-blended gas nationwide was announced, following a successful pilot program in Puntarenas and Guanacaste. Ethanol-blended gas will be sold nationwide, to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. The ethanol, made from locally-grown sugar cane, provides a renewable source of energy, and produce less CO2 than fossil fuels, since new plants take as much carbon out of the air as is released when ethanol is burned, unlike gasoline. Comments (0)
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