Rodrigo Chaves, Costa Rica’s former finance minister, was elected the country’s new president. He defeated Jos Mara Figueres with 53% of votes.
Chaves, a former World Bank economist and right-winger, was elected to the office. He promised to shake up traditional politics. Experts are now uncertain about the direction for climate action in Costa Rica, a country that has been well-respected for its record on green issues and conservation in recent decades. Chaves’ plans for the government, including those on the environment, are seen to be ambiguous. He has previously endorsed fossil fuel extraction.
Costa Rica has gotten almost all of its energy through renewable sources since 2014. It is aiming to improve this position as part its 2020 strategy. Plan for Decarbonizationto 2050, and its international obligations to the Paris Agreement. The new government could jeopardize this progress.
Chaves, during his campaign, expressed his willingness for Costa Rica to extract natural gas. This is something that the country’s chambers of commerce have suggested in the past in order to lower the high electricity prices. However, the country has not yet ventured into the gas extracting industry. Not confirmedFormal studies can be used to determine the actual extent of fossil fuel deposits.
Even so, during a Televised debateChaves declared that if there is gas and we verify its existence, we can use it to maintain a clean environment and a healthy environment.
The president-elect stated that he doesn’t think we need to adopt the almost religious fanaticism of saying, “Let’s not allow Costa Ricans use and benefit from a source that god gave us.”
Adrin Martnez is the director of La Ruta del Clima in Costa Rica, which is a non-profit organization that focuses on climate change. He explained that opening gas plants in Costa Rica would make it impossible for the country to achieve its decarbonisation goals and could also affect the image of its ecotourism industry which is 3% of its GDP.
Chaves love for fossil fuels is not new. According to a report, Chaves office funded several fossil fuel infrastructure projects while he was the country director for Indonesia at The World Bank. Reportby the Bank Information Center (BIC), a non-governmental organization that monitors the operations and policies of international financial institutions.
During Chaves tenure in the Indonesia post (2013-2019), the World Bank funded, among other projects, a 2,000 MW central Java coal plant for more than US$4Billion and transport networks for coal plants for over US$1B.
The BIC report stated that the bank also included expansion of coal plants in its plans for future projects in Indonesia. However, it did not include solar, wind, or geothermal power.
Despite growing warnings from the scientific world about the need to transition towards clean energy, and in particular, to abandon coal, as coal plants can produce up to It takes twice as much CO2 to make the same amountas those who use fossil fuels like natural gas.
Costa Rica’s record at risk
Costa Rica currently plays a leading role with two ambitious global initiatives. Initiative 30×30This proposal proposes to protect 30% the planet’s ecosystems before 2030; and the Beyond Oil & Gas AllianceThe proposal to eliminate all fossil fuels (including oil, coal, and natural gases) was presented by Martnez at last November’s COP26 Climate negotiations. Martnez informed Dilogo Chino that while the country would likely keep with both initiatives, its credibility could be impacted if Chaves makes good on his promises to continue fossil fuel extraction.
In its Contribution determined nationally(NDC), to the Paris Agreement. This Central American country, long known for its environmental leadership and commitment to prohibiting any type of exploration or exploitation fossil fuels, is currently in the process of being added to the Paris Agreement. It is currently By decree prohibitedThis could only be lifted by an executive order by the future cabinet. Carlos Alvarado’s outgoing government tried to pass the bill through the country’s congress in 2021. However, it failed to get the votes required to pass the bill due to opposition legislators and pressure from the business chambers.
The Chaves government planPascal Girot, director at the Universidad de Costa Rica’s school of geography and a veteran negotiator of the Costa Rican delegation at the United Nations, said that the mentions adaptation to climate change, but not much detail.
Costa Rica has been a leader in influencing global action to address environmental crises. I don’t believe that will change.
The plan promises, among other things, to create a [climate]Damage-reduction plan for the first year of government that determines which public investment will be allowed to reduce it. However, the previous government was already developing a National Climate Change Adaptation PlanThis has even been subject to public consultation.
Martnez and Girot both pointed out that environmental concerns did not play a significant role in the election decisions. Rodrigo Chaves voters cited corruption as their top priority. Latest pollThe Universidad de Costa Rica conducted the polls prior to the election. Figueres was the opposition candidate. He cited unemployment as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. Costa Rica had an unusually low turnout with 40% of eligible voters failing to cast their ballots.
Despite differences in voter preferences, both experts agreed that there is a strong system of environmental laws in the country and citizen participation which would allow climate action regardless of who is in power.
Costa Rica has a long history of being a leader in global efforts to reduce environmental crises. Girot stated, “I don’t think that will ever change.”
Other environmental issues to be considered
The transition of government is a delicate time for Costa Rica’s protected areas, which have seen their budgets cut by up to a third during the Covid-19 pandemic. This issue is not addressed in the Chaves plan, nor are alternative funding sources for state-protected areas.
Some of the infrastructure projects that the president-elect proposes conflict with nature conservation. Chaves plans to build a dry canal that will allow merchandise to be transported by land between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
It is not the first instance that a port was proposed for the Pacific Coast of Northern Costa Rica. This area is home to humpback and other species of sharks, fish, and dolphins. The management plansThe Guanacaste conservation area, where construction of the port was proposed, identified the port proposal in a way that could threaten the ecological integrity.
The energy transition is another important issue facing the country. Costa Rica’s greenhouse gases have increased by 76%According to the latest emissions inventory, this figure has increased by 30% in the past 30 years. This was due to the large footprint of the transport sector as well as the increase in the number petrol-powered vehicles. The country’s decarbonisation plan set a target for 85% of its transport fleet to be electric by 2050. It also announced the creation of an electrified urban train system.
In line with the decarbonisation plans, Chaves’ government plan also proposes an electrical train network for the country’s Greater Metropolitan Area, which is the main source of its emission. His proposals, however, reject the continuation of the same project that is being promoted by the current government. There is a feasibility study and a loan of US$550 million for it. ApprovedBy the Central American Bank for Economic Integration.
Chaves’ plan, however, proposes to rethink the metropolitan electric train, with the same rigorous studies that the current proposal lacks, but without specifying how far or what it would take.
Chaves expressed opposition to the Escaz Agreement. This regional environmental human rights treaty was previously promoted and signed in Costa Rica and named after one its cities.
It doesn’t make any changes to our laws and it creates litigation issues. This is at a time when we need this country’s production to skyrocket again, Chaves stated during an interview. InterviewReleased by his campaign on 17 Februar.
In this vein the president-elect indicated that he is open to conducting feasibility studies to allow trawling in the country’s waters. The Constitutional Chamber of Costa Rica has banned this technique since 2013. It is thought to have a high impact on marine species, and that it lacks a scientific understanding of its effects.
Chaves was elected president in spite of multiple allegations of sexual harassment at the World Bank. This raised questions about his commitment to human rights and gender equality. In 2019, he was deported by the bank, but not fired because of his sexual misconduct.
The President-elect will take office on May 8th, and Chaves plans for Costa Rica’s environment and economy should be clearer in the coming weeks.