Pollution control and natural resource management have allowed Costa Rica to be the third nation in the world that best conserves its natural environment. This according to the 2019 Environmental Performance Index was prepared by a team of experts from Yale and Columbia universities, which was presented yesterday at the Davos Economic Focus. The study classifies 163 countries into ten environmental categories, such as air quality, water management, biodiversity, fisheries, and agriculture, as well as combating climate change.
And it is that when you arrive in this beautiful land you can immediately perceive this: the air is smog-free; the drinking water supply is well managed. The biodiversity in natural wildlife habitats is strictly protected. It also carries out internationally recognized programs in reforestation, fishing, agriculture and the fight against climate change.
The “Payment for Environmental Services” (PSA), is one of the official measures Costa Rica has taken in search of the protection of the natural resources by providing a legal framework for the greater valuation of forests.
PSA consists of providing an economic subsidy to the owners of private forests and forest plantations, recognizing that these places are not only profitable for the extraction of timber resources and other forestry products but also includes other services related to the mitigation of greenhouse effect, biodiversity conservation, protection of water basins and wildlife habitats.
It is very important to emphasize that our indigenous ancestors have had for centuries 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 Bribri 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, and it is no coincidence that in many of these are located the areas belonging to some category of environmental protection.
Costa Rica has invested great resources for the welfare of present and future generations. This vast conservation effort few countries in the world have achieved.
