Pollution control and natural resource management have allowed Costa Rica to be the 3rd nation in the world that best conserves the environment.
In fact, Costa Rica’s air has great quality and drinking water supply is guaranteed –a measure indispensable for human consumption. Since these elements are totally necessary for life, it means that our biodiversity and natural habitats are well-balanced, too.
It also follows programs with practices in reforestation, fishing, agriculture, and the fight against climate change. The 2010 Environmental Performance Index was prepared by a team of experts from Yale and Columbia universities, which was presented at Davos Economic Forum 2020.
The study classifies 163 countries into 10 environmental categories, such as air quality, water management, biodiversity, fisheries, and agriculture, as well as combating climate change. The Payment for Environmental Services (PSA), joins the movements made in Costa Rica in search of the protection of their natural resources, was created in 1996 with Forest Law N° 7575 to provide a legal framework and greater valuation of forests.
The PSA consists of providing an economic subsidy to the owners of forests and forest plantations, recognizing that these places are not only profitable for the extraction of timber resources and other goods but also include other services related to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) effect, biodiversity conservation, protection of water resources, and the beauty of nature.
It is very important to emphasize that our indigenous ancestors have had a valuable contribution to conservation, due to their vision of the rational use of the natural resource, as well as the great respect and veneration towards Mother Nature. In Bribrí language, Irina is the girl Earth, who represents the land for the seed.
In Costa Rica, there are currently 8 indigenous groups, distributed in 24 territories, which is no coincidence that in many of these they are located in areas belonging to some category of protection.
So far we should know that very few countries in the world have done this conservation effort and, in this regard, Costa Rica has invested great resources for the welfare of present and future generations.
