Costa Rica

Costa Rica has its coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Only 6 percent of the country is arable, the smallest percentage of any of the Central American countries; 46 percent is meadow and pasture, much of it used for raising cattle, which, in turn, contribute to an increase in methane. Over 34 percent of the country is still forested, and there have been stringent ecological controls, with the Costa Rican tourist industry relying on an eco-friendly image. Twenty-seven percent of Costa Rica is covered by a system of national parks, wildlife refuges, and biological reserves.

The most prosperous country in Central America, there is extensive public transportation throughout Costa Rica, with the local bus service regarded as the best in Central America. There has been a recent promotion of the use of bicycles. The carbon dioxide emissions per capita for Costa Rica have risen from 0.9 metric tons per person in 1990, to 1.5 metric tons per person in 1994, and then stabilized between 1.3 and 1.5 metric tons per person per year.

Carbon dioxide emissions come from liquid fuels (88 percent), and from the manufacture of cement (12 percent), with negligible use of solid fuels or gaseous fuels. The Costa Rican government signed the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a decision that was ratified on August , 2002, and took effect on February, 2005. Forestry In Costa Rica, forest covers 46.8% of the land with a huge biological diversity with some 12,000 species of plants, 1,239 species of butterflies, 838 species of birds, 440 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 232 species of mammals.

Costa Rica has an ambitious conservation program; perhaps one of the most developed among tropical rainforest countries, that protects more than 10 percent of the country. Due to this programs of conservation of its rain forest, Costa Rica remains in the top ranks on the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

The Global Day of Conversation

In conjunction with the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the Global Day of Conversation will illustrate the commitment of millions to make the natural environment a priority for 2010 and beyond. Through these conversations, local officials will help bridge the gap that exists in public engagement through education and a course of action. Ultimately, this day will elevate the collective voice of local governments and communities in a national and international environmental dialogue.

The Global Day of Conversation marks the third year that mayors and local government elected officials hold conversations in their communities with their constituents to deepen understanding of the paramount environmental issues facing humanity today. The first two conversation initiatives were held in cities across the United States. In 2010, Earth Day Network is eager to work with cities and local governments around the world to advance engagement by citizens and communities to implement positive actions to mitigate environmental impacts and advance the green economy in the 21st century.

The Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity  was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The following discusses Costa Rica's plans for biodiversity nationwide:

Costa Rica has a large diversity of ecosystems grouped into the following categories: forests, wetlands, marine areas and agricultural areas. Costa Rica has identified a little over 87,000 species, which represents 6.2% of the known species in the world. The species distribution among taxa is as follows: 10,979 plant species and 2,430 vertebrate species including 935 fish, 857 birds, 243 mammals, 235 reptiles, and 182 amphibians. Historically, economic development increased at the expense of the country’s natural resources, particularly in the last half of the 20th century. However, Costa Rica has made progress towards more sustainable use of its natural resources. For example, it has decreased the deforestation rate from 43,000ha in 1983 and 13,000 in 1993, to an average of 5,000ha in the last 5 years.

The general objective of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is the conservation and fair and equitable use of the country’s biodiversity. Thirteen strategic points were identified as the focus of the NBSAP including: adverse affects of socio and production activities; land planning; inter-institutional and intersectoral coordination; research and investigation; information exchange; indigenous knowledge; in situ and ex situ conservation; access to genetic resources (biosafety and biotechnology); internalization of costs for environmental services and incentives; marine and coastal resources; and national capacity for the management of biodiversity. These strategies incorporate not only the biological aspect (ecosystems, species and genes), but also economic and social aspects for which policies, actions and priorities were identified, as well as the responsible stakeholders.

Source: Convention on Biodiversity