Costa Rica's reputation as a global environmental leader is under threat, according to a new State of the Nation report. The document criticizes the Chaves administration for a series of policy shifts that weaken the country's historic commitment to sustainability, jeopardizing both its environmenta Contact online >>
Costa Rica''s reputation as a global environmental leader is under threat, according to a new State of the Nation report. The document criticizes the Chaves administration for a series of policy shifts that weaken the country''s historic commitment to sustainability, jeopardizing both its environmental achievements and global standing. The report highlights a growing tendency to adopt positions "contrary to sustainability," warning that these policies pose concrete risks to the country''s biodiversity and human development.
"There is evidence of a shift in the historical environmental narrative that is expressed in concrete consequences on the material basis of human development in the country: nature. Furthermore, despite formal environmental achievements, threats to biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica persist and increase," the report states.
Researcher Karen Chacón emphasized that for nearly ten administrations, governments of various political affiliations maintained a strong conservationist approach, reaping environmental, economic, and political benefits. However, Chacón noted that the 2022 change in leadership "facilitated the adoption of policies that favor the regressive use of natural resources."
Among the policies criticized in the report are proposed reforms to the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) and decisions impacting Manuel Antonio National Park.
The government introduced a bill—Strengthening the Competencies of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (file 23.213)—to eliminate the requirement for technical justifications in ministry decisions. If approved, the bill would reduce the autonomy of key institutions, including the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA) and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC).
In addition, the administration proposed increasing the visitor capacity of Manuel Antonio National Park to 3,000, despite a technical recommendation to limit capacity to 1,120. A constitutional ruling in May 2024 capped the park''s visitor limit at 1,800, citing ecological concerns.
"This case evidences what appears to be a tendency to impose political criteria over technical criteria, since no technical justifications were presented to support this decision," said Chacón.
Despite these concerns, the report acknowledges Costa Rica''s continued efforts in certain areas, such as the expansion of the Payment for Environmental Services Program (PPSA) and the establishment of the Payment for Marine-Coastal Ecosystem Services Fund, which supports marine conservation and fishing communities.
"As Costa Rica grapples with these challenges, the report underscores the need for urgent dialogue and decisive action to protect the nation''s environmental legacy," Chacón concluded.
The Latin America Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency''s first in-depth and comprehensive assessment of Latin America and the Caribbean, builds on decades of collaboration with partners. In support of the region''s energy goals, the report explores the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. It provides insights on the ways in which the outlook for the region and the biggest global energy trends are deeply intertwined – as well as recommendations on policies that could allow Latin America and the Caribbean to take full advantage of its great potential.
Many of us want an overview of how much energy our country consumes, where it comes from, and if we''re making progress on decarbonizing our energy mix. This page provides the data for your chosen country across all of the key metrics on this topic.
In the selection box above you can also add or remove additional countries and they will appear on all of the charts on this page. This allows you to compare specific countries you might be interested in, and measure progress against others.
In the energy domain, there are many different units thrown around – joules, exajoules, million tonnes of oil equivalents, barrel equivalents, British thermal units, terawatt-hours, to name a few. This can be confusing, and make comparisons difficult. So at Our World in Data we try to maintain consistency by converting all energy data to watt-hours. We do this to compare energy data across different metrics and sources.
Electricity is a good that adds massive value to modern life: from having light at night; to washing clothes; cooking meals; running machinery; or connecting with people across the world. Many would argue that it is a crucial for poverty alleviation, economic growth and improved living standards.1
Having clean fuels and technologies for cooking – meaning non-solid fuels such as natural gas, ethanol or even electric technologies – makes these processes more efficient, saving both time and energy.
About Costa rica load shifting
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Costa rica load shifting have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Costa rica load shifting for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Costa rica load shifting featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
