Photo: EE file
Over the next five years, Costa Rica will invest $10.3 million from the Global Environment Fund (GEF) in metropolitan decarbonization initiatives.
The main objective of the “Transition to an Urban Green Economy with Global Environmental Benefits project is decarbonization in the metropolitan area through sustainable integrated urban planning, for which it proposes reforms of outdated laws, construction of bike lanes and green sidewalks.
“The approach of this project is extremely ambitious as it aims to change the economic logic by decarbonizing an entire country’s income base,” said GEF Managing Director Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.
The plan includes planting trees, boosting circular economy businesses, legal and institutional reforms, and new work to improve urban mobility that focuses on people and ecosystem health.
During the five years, urban ecosystems will be restored on a total of 2,000 hectares, achieving the reforestation of 1,000 trees per hectare. This allows for the direct capture of 24,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, the authorities said.
In the case of the circular economy proposal, the plan makes it possible to make the best use of all resources in the production chain, using biodegradable materials and reducing the environmental impact. In the preparatory phase of the initiative, it was noted that Costa Rica has no experience in promoting these forms of production, nor is regulation as well developed as in other countries.
Therefore, the project will map existing circular economy initiatives, provide financial support to companies of this type, prioritize the employment of women in areas such as waste management and provide training in entrepreneurship.
The Department of Environment and Energy (MINAE) will lead the initiative, which will be implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and conducted by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OET).
“Coal and other fossil fuels are drowning humanity and have put us in a danger zone we never imagined. If we are to survive on Earth, we must move towards a future based on renewable energy, with universal access, gender equality and green jobs of the future.
This project is proof of that, said UNDP resident representative José Vicente Troya.
The transition to an urban green economy will require additional resources to support specific local government activities and to leverage existing opportunities to devote more resources to sustainable urban solutions.
Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado indicated that as part of the progress, the country is betting on the construction of the Metropolitan Electric Train as one of the key ways to decarbonize and transform a currently inefficient public transportation system.
Costa Rica is implementing the National Decarbonization Plan, the main goal of which is to eliminate fuel consumption by 2050.