¡Hola! My name is Mia Chupein and I am a studying bioengineering. As May 7 approaches I become more and more eager and excited to embark on this adventure with my fellow peers. Growing up, traveling has always been involved in my life, whether it was to visit my relatives or experience other cultures. Therefore, I always knew that studying abroad was going to be apart of my college experience. I am looking forward to many things in Costa Rica, including but not limited to the fruit, volcanos, and animals (specifically the sloths). I am excited and grateful to meet the local ticos who have allowed us to experience their beautiful country.

Costa Rica’s role in sustainability is what captivated my attention the most. Costa Rica is ranked the third best Green Country in the world which also supports its biodiversity that is deeply cherishes. One goal that Costa Rica is trying to achieve is decarbonizing its economy by 2050, by pushing the boundaries through finding alternative ways to transport energy, waste, and land use. Despite Costa Rica only being responsible for .02% of global emissions, they want to inspire other countries with bigger carbon footprints to bring urgency to this global problem. Since 2018, President Carlos Alvarado Quesada has been implementing the Decarbonization Plan. One of its goals involved in this plan is achieving 60% of forest coverage by 2050.

The land of “Pura Vida” produces about 99% of energy from renewable resources. In 2017, the President of Costa Rica wanted to eradicate single use plastic and in 2018 the Legislative Assembly banned plastic straws and many plastic bags to protect the purity of its beaches, oceans, and wildlife. Costa Rica values that it is about 5% of the world’s biodiversity, home to about 900 different bird species and 250 species of mammals. Regardless of its small carbon footprint and population in comparison to other countries, Costa Rica doesn’t deliver empty promises to improve the quality of life for their citizens.

Decarbonization Plan: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/NationalDecarbonizationPlan.pdf.