Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast
Inside Costa Rica’s Climate Fight: Can the nation hold on to its green ideas?
Feb 20, 2025
Luis Guillermo Solís, former President of Costa Rica, shares insights on his country's impressive environmental journey, highlighting the transformation of forest coverage from 21% to 60%. He discusses policies that prioritize nature, including the Payment for Environmental Services Law. The conversation turns to current challenges, as populist measures threaten these achievements, particularly a potential return to fossil fuels. Solís and co-hosts emphasize the urgency of grassroots efforts to protect Costa Rica's extraordinary environmental legacy.
39:11
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Quick takeaways
- Costa Rica's Payment for Environmental Services Law has been pivotal in raising forest coverage from 21% to 60% by incentivizing conservation.
- Current political threats to Costa Rica's environmental policies highlight the fragility of hard-won ecological gains amid shifting leadership.
Deep dives
Costa Rica's Environmental Leadership
Costa Rica has developed into a global model for environmental leadership, showcasing how a small country can have a significant impact on environmental stewardship. The country originally faced significant deforestation, with forest cover dropping to a mere 21% in the 1980s due to practices incentivized by law. However, the introduction of the Payment for Environmental Services Law in 1996 catalyzed a dramatic recovery, increasing forest coverage to 60% today. This law operates on the principle of compensating landowners for allowing their lands to either be reforested or allowed to naturally regenerate, creating a sustainable economic model tied to conservation.
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