One of the smallest countries in the world has a big goal! The Costa Rican government is developing plans to begin offsetting all of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions, to have zero output of carbon dioxide by 2021. Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles said Costa Rica aims to reach this goal using incentives, budgeting and laws, including measures to promote biofuels, hybrid vehicles, and clean energy. Another key component of the national strategy will be a “C-Neutral” label to certify that tourism and certain industrial practices mitigate all of the carbon dioxide they emit, he adds. The government also plans payments to protect wildlife habitat and scenic beauty.
Costa Rica is a leader on green issues, with protected areas like national parks and biological reserves covering more than a quarter of its territory. In 2002, Costa Rica’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels totaled 5.8 million metric tons, according to the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, ranking this small country at the top 100 in the world. “The fact that Costa Rica has applied (payments) on a national scale is what’s innovative,” said Esteban Brenes, a conservation finance expert at the World Wildlife Fund.
Tags: global_warming • protect • save • think_green • wasteBookmark | Permalink |
