Costa Rica was awarded the United Nations Environment Program’s Champions of the Earth award for their policy leadership. Each year they continue to place a great emphasis on the sustainability of their country which allows them to have great economic achievements.

In 2019, Costa Rica submitted their full Decarbonization Plan to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which included how they are planning to use it as a long-term strategy rather than a short term strategy. They strive to keep their economy growing but at the same time, decrease the use of fossil fuels to stop the issues of pollution. To achieve this, they will be electrifying transport, sustainable agriculture and more. Regarding transportation, they expect to have passenger trains, buses, and taxis be zero emissions by 2050. Clearly they are mindful about the future sustainability of their country and want to keep improving each year.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) new Resilient and Sustainability Facility allows for there to be a new financing tool to help low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries build resilience to external shocks and endure sustainable growth. The IMF board gave Costa Rica a grant which in turn will help Costa Rica with assessing climate change risks better and public investment projects. Costa Rica has a strong commitment to having environmentally sustainable growth and will do as much as they can to sustain it.

In 2022, the Costa Rican government launched their first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) which outlines their commitment to climate change specifically over the next 5 years. They touch on a range of aspects from climate change to even designing eco-competitive production systems.

I’m excited to visit Costa Rica and experience the different sustainability aspects that they are committed to. I also can’t wait to experience a homestay and learn more about the Costa Rican culture from our host families, and spend time with everyone.