Policies in Costa Rica:
Costa Rica: Certified Tradable Offsets
This program allows local producers to "grow" carbon, or to exploit the rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon gases, as a commodity for sale internationally. Each CTO corresponds to one ton of carbon absorbed by Costa Rica’s trees. The aim is that industrialized countries will eventually use these CTOs against their Kyoto emission limitations. For now Costa Rica has found foreign investors willing to purchase them - Norwegian hydropower companies have purchased these CTOs for $10/ton of carbon, much lower than the supposed cost of abatement at home. The US has also purchased CTOs related to Costa Rica’s Protected Areas Project. Sales of CTOs will be handled by the Chicago Board of Trade. The proceeds are used to purchase rainforest land from private owners for preservation.
Date Implemented: 1998
Status: In Force; Voluntary
Targets: This program aims to protect 1.25 million acres (500,000 ha) of rainforest
References: http://forests.org/archive/samerica/crcarbcr.htm http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/misc/CarbonCommodity.pdf
Costa Rica: Environmental Organic Law
Establishing that air is common property and contaminants must be controlled and reduced, the Act grants the state authority to protect the environment and prevent and control pollution. It sets up guidelines and the legal framework for the sustainable exploitation of natural resources and for the protection of the environment.
Date Implemented: 1995
Status: In Force; Framework Policy
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC
http://www.ec.gc.ca/international/costarica/2002ems_envlegis_e.htm
Costa Rica: Environmental Services Payment
The National Fund for Forestry Management will pay for environmental services rendered. It also sets maximum payments for reforestation and protection management plans.
Date Implemented: 2000
Status: In Force; Voluntary
References: http://www.ec.gc.ca/international/costarica/2002ems_envlegis_e.htm
Costa Rica: Forestry Law - N 7575
This law provides compensation for the environmental or reforestation efforts of private forest proprietors or forest plantation owners through the PSA (Environmental Services Payment). It defines the state’s role as protector and promoter of conservation.
Date Implemented: 1996
Status: In Force; Voluntary
Funding Information: The PSA is financed by a tax on hydrocarbons
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC
Costa Rica: Hydrocarbons Act
Seeking to promote sustainable economic development and environmental protection, this Act regulates the development, promotion and exploitation of oil and other hydrocarbons.
Date Implemented: 1994
Status: In Force; Mandatory
References: http://www.ec.gc.ca/international/costarica/2002ems_envlegis_e.htm
Costa Rica: Law and Regulations on Rational Energy Use - la Ley Nº 7200
This law requires MINAE to establish company-level power indices based on their level of economic activity. The law and its subsequent regulations outline the obligatory nature of executing projects that conserve electricity. They also include an incentive program for businesses that promote the efficient use of energy.
Date Implemented: Law:1994; Regulation: 1995
Status: In Force; Part voluntary, part mandatory
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC
http://www.recope.go.cr/eng/conserva_E.htm
Costa Rica: Ley Nº 7200 para la utilización racional y uso alternativo de fuentes de energía, as modified by Ley Nº 7508 (1995)
This Law allows the participation of private enterprises in power generation where the sources are renewable (geothermal, hydro and solar are specifically mentioned), the capacity does not exceed 50MW, and 35% of the share capacity is locally owned.
Date Implemented: 1990
Status: In Force; Voluntary
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC; http://www.iadb.org/sds/doc/1824eng.pdf
Costa Rica: National Plan for the Expansion of Electricity Generation
80-90% of newly installed generation capacity should be from renewable sources, not thermal plants.
Date Implemented: 2000-2010
Status: In Force; Mandatory
Targets: The operation of electricity plants fueled by renewable sources could avoid the emission of 214,445 tons of CO2 by year 2009.
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC
Costa Rica: Private Forestry Project
This Project introduces incentives to promote and reward carbon sequestration activities on private lands. Participating landowners receive payments ranging from $45/ha/yr - $120/ha/yr depending on the type of land reforested (correlates to the owner’s opportunity cost of alternative uses of the land.)
Status: In Force; Voluntary
Funding Information: This Project is financed by a 5% tax on gasoline, CTO sales and contributions from the private sector, primarily hydrocarbon companies.
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC; http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/misc/CarbonCommodity.pdf
Costa Rica: Protected Areas Project
Program transfers private land into park or protected status.
Status: In Force; Voluntary
Funding Information: This Project is financed by a 5% tax on gasoline, CTO sales and contributions from the private sector, primarily hydrocarbon companies.
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC; http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/misc/CarbonCommodity.pdf
Costa Rica: Rational Use of Energy Law
Costa Rica has adopted a U.S. based model of energy efficiency standards and labels for residential appliances. Designed to regulate their energy consumption, appliances must carry informational labels that give the model’s adjusted volume and annual energy consumption.
Date Implemented: 1996
Status: Mandatory
References: http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/200404-internatlabelreview.p...
Costa Rica: Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservación (SINAC)
This division is aimed at promoting and administering the sustainable use of Costa Rica’s natural resources for the economic and social development of the country. It runs the country’s 11 Areas of Conservation.
Date Implemented: 1995
Status: In Force
References: http://www.sinaccr.net/principal.php
Costa Rica: Sustainable Development Strategic Partnership Among Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica (Program for South-south Cooperation)
Among primary themes: Energy for sustainable development. To promote sustainable development on a south-south basis through long term partnership between Benin, Bhutan and Costa Rica by implementing Agenda 21, program for further implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of implementation based on the principles of equality, participation and reciprocity. Recognizing that lasting poverty alleviation will be achieved only in the context of sustainable development, the partnership will seek to catalyze the transition to sustainability by supporting innovation in the policies, seeding initiatives and replicating success stories. As the first step to translate the vision and objectives of the partnership into concrete projects, a program for south-south co-operation (PSC) was launched in May 2005. Biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism, sustainable chains of production and consumption and sustainable energy are the key themes with gender equality as cross cutting issue. The partnership will be implemented through policy dialogues, consultation and participation of the multi-interest groups with focus on pilot and reciprocal projects. A Multi-Year-Plan (MYP) for 2006-2008 has been prepared by the partner countries from and the Annual Plan for 2006 is ready for implementation.The National Mechanism (lead agencies) also met in Costa Rica to incorporate the comments of the JMC into the MYP (Oct 2005).
Date Implemented: May 2005
Status: In Force; Multi-sectoral framework policy
References: http://webapps01.un.org/dsd/partnerships/public/partnerships/1493.html
Costa Rica: Urban Planning Law
This law regulates the country’s housing and urbanization policies. It also establishes the National Plan for Urban Development, the Municipal Zoning Plans, Urban Planning, and Land Use. This Law prohibits land-planning schemes that do not follow the proscribed zoning regulations.
Date Implemented: 1968
Status: In Force; Mandatory
References: http://www.ec.gc.ca/international/costarica/2002ems_envlegis_e.htm
Costa Rica: Vehicle Transit Act
Costa Rica has instituted strict emissions requirements for imported vehicles and will not release them without an emissions statement from the country of origin.
Status: In Force; Mandatory
References: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html