Costa Rica has completed 61% of the first phase of its decarbonization plan

San Jose, February 24 Costa Rica has completed 61% of the targets for the first phase of the national plan to decarbonize the economy, according to a report presented by government authorities this Thursday, three years after the initiative was launched. The report “Progress in Implementation of the National Plan for Decarbonization” reveals that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has been able to lay the foundations for achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado stated that this is the country’s roadmap for a sustainable and proving economic recovery It can promote sustainable growth that generates great returns. Alvarado explained that “the implementation of the plan contributes to building a healthy future for future generations.” According to the report, as of February 2022, Costa Rica has already completed 61% of the goals set in the first phase of the plan, while by the end of the year, the figure is expected to reach 83%. During the first three years of implementation, progress was made in key sectors due to their high emissions, such as transportation – which generates nearly half of greenhouse gases – and agriculture. To mitigate this, during the first phase of the plan, the pilot project was launched with two electric buses, nine exclusive bus routes were implemented, a national network of 43 electric vehicle chargers, and the national electronic payment system for the public were installed. Transportation. In the Agriculture and Livestock segment, 1,652 livestock farms are listed under the Low Emissions Program, and the Sustainable Livestock Policy will be published this year. “We already have a solid foundation, which will allow us to implement more ambitious changes in the future. Costa Rica is on the right track towards the goal of decarbonization,” said Minister of Environment and Energy, Andrea Meza. The first phase of the plan called “Foundations,” which ran from 2018 to 2022, involves laying the foundations for future decarbonization actions. Thereafter, the “coup” phases (2023-2030) and “mass deployment” (2031-2050) will follow. An analysis by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) indicates that implementing the plan in the transportation sector alone would cost $37 billion, but would provide benefits of $78 billion, with a net profit of $41 billion. While a study prepared by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) shows that investments in decarbonization can accelerate both employment and economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.