timeFranz Tuttenbach, Costa Rica’s Minister of Environment and Energy, said that his country is what the world wants, but the reality is not. The 69-year-old economist is acutely aware of his role as the guardian of the country’s reputation for forward-thinking biodiversity initiatives and forest restoration. Since the 1970s, successive governments have sought to treat wildlife fairly, enacting widely praised conservation policies and raising the country’s image as a model for environmental protection.
From the window of her ninth-floor office in San Jose, Tuttenbach can see the mountains surrounding the Central Valley. Add to this the jungle, wild beaches and just 51,100 square kilometers (19,700 square miles) of land and vast marine reserves that contain nearly 6% of the world’s biodiversity.
In 2019, Costa Rica received the United Nations’ highest environmental honor, the “Champions of the Earth Award”, in recognition of its efforts in environmental protection. Its forest coverage has increased from 40% in 1987 to over 53% of the country and is home to a variety of species.
But Tatenbach is under pressure. Environmentalists and NGOs have recently expressed growing concern about China’s ecological future. Since President Rodrigo Chaves took office in 2022, there have been signs that he is shifting the country’s focus from sustainability to economic growth, including a return to the production of fossil fuels.
The country, which considered a total ban on fossil fuel extraction in 2021, appears to have given up on phasing out oil and gas production and is now considering reintroducing drilling to its economy. To do this, the center-right government could overturn a moratorium on oil and gas exploration ordered by the previous government until 2050.
To those who believe that gas extraction is inherently harmful to nature and cannot be done in an environmentally friendly way, I have a word for them: Norway, Chavez said last August, citing the European country as an example of investment in public services, Pensions and infrastructure without raising taxes.
Chavez added that we must carefully evaluate these resources. This is a multi-billion dollar industry and as a country we should be discussing its potential.
In an interview with the Guardian, Tuttenbach agreed: Cost-benefit must be taken into account when making decisions. [of these activities].
Tottenbach said environmental protection remains a top priority as the government faces a wave of lies, jealousy and ideological criticism from opposition parties, the media and environmental groups. The difference, the minister said, is that Chávez is more focused on creating well-being for his people.
Tottenbach said the new dilemma facing Costa Rica is to maintain its environmental reputation while creating wealth by providing more protections and fewer obstacles for private companies.
DAt the 28th UN Climate Conference in December, Costa Rica refused to sign the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance Declaration proposed by a coalition of governments and partners, which outlined efforts to eradicate oil and fossil gas globally. Mining target. Former president Laura Chinchilla said the country had betrayed its green mission.
Costa Rica entered into a union with Denmark in 2021 under the unpopular government of Carlos Alvarado Quesada. But things are different now, Tuttenbach said. He sees a hydrocarbon ban as less realistic in the coming years.
He said the focus now was on making less spectacle and more nuanced decisions about how to produce fuels that were adapted to the climate crisis, based on the funding needs of smaller countries. We are more technocratic than previous governments, he said.
However, just hours before our interview, Norway announced it would reject Costa Rica’s request for help calculating the size and value of its hydrocarbon reserves, as the European country nears the end of its Petroleum for Development Cooperation program.
The decision complicates the government’s plans to tap the reserves, but does not lead them to rule out the possibility.
Tuttenbach said there were no plans to build a refinery in the Caribbean. However, after checking with an aide, he acknowledged the existence of such a project but said it would be aimed at local consumption rather than exports and would have the same emissions as imported refined fuels.
He said the president cannot irresponsibly ignore the value of the nation’s resources. Agree that his role is to find a balance that does not harm Costa Rica’s green image, which he admits is, in any case, somewhat exaggerated.
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He said he inherited problems such as chaotic urban development, lack of wastewater management and agricultural and industrial pollution. Another challenge is the growth of car ownership, partly due to insufficient mass transportation.
Greenhouse gas emissions from China’s transportation have increased by more than 30% in the decade to 2023, damaging air quality in cities, according to a review by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. 88% of the country’s population is exposed to harmful levels of air pollution.
Although more than 95% of local electricity generation over the past decade has been provided by renewable energy, approximately 75% of Costa Rica’s total energy consumption comes from fossil fuels, in part due to the country’s reliance on automobile transportation. In addition, in 2023, El Niño and drought affected renewable energy, especially hydropower, one of the country’s main green energy sources, so diesel and ship fuel were used to increase power generation, accounting for more than 15% of the country’s power generation in 2023. Season 1, 2024.
It’s a lie that Costa Rica is a clean energy country because [the high emissions of] Tuttenbach said the country is really part of the transportation industry, but it’s really the second-largest producer of clean energy in the world.
The minister said that in Costa Rica, people prefer cars, mainly because public transportation is not subsidized and the country has only limited rail services. Although the Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a $550 million loan, the government canceled the urban electric train project as too costly.
The government said it plans to reallocate bus routes and promote the use of electric vehicles to make the most of the country’s renewable energy. But he said electric vehicles would only bring benefits if Costa Rica reformed its transportation structure. I prefer a diesel bus full of passengers to an empty electric bus; he said it reduces emissions even more.
He said his first priority was to attract funding to further adapt the green economic model. Also on his agenda is effective monitoring of the country’s extensive marine protected areas in the Pacific. He said the government had made progress on banning hammerhead shark fishing, reforming the heavy use of polluting agricultural chemicals and pursuing zero deforestation in export agriculture.
Tottenbach acknowledged that everything costs money and that improving the country’s image would help. “I’m a little frustrated,” said the minister, who is seeking funding, economic results and environmental benefits, just as he did decades ago when he ran the mountain forestry program. We were slow to get the funding we needed.
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