Why are we doing this?

It’s aligned with Costa Rica’s national values.

The last fourteen words of the national anthem provides an enduring message about the Costa Rican psyche, “Under your clean blue skies, may work and peace always flourish.” Achieving carbon neutrality will preserve our natural environment, create good paying jobs, and promote peace.

We are in a historic moment.

Copenhagen presents a grand opportunity for Costa Rica to garner global support on credible local actions.   2010 is an election year in Costa Rica and climate change actions should be a central campaign issue.
Cathedral thinking on climate change is necessary from leaders and the population. Changing Costa Rica’s energy infrastructure requires long-term planning; it’ll necessarily need to span the next three presidential terms.  Everyone Costa Rican needs to share the grand vision of our beautiful new “cathedral” and know that they can contribute to it.

At the highest levels of industry and government, there is a clear sense that climate change mitigation measures need to be implemented.  A whole lot of planning has already taken place.  We want clear actions - now.

Costa Rica can serve as a global model.

Costa Rica’s greenhouse gas emissions account for less than 0.02% of the world’s total emissions.  Costa Rica’s carbon neutrality won’t solve the global problem, but we’ll be a model country on how to act on this issue.  Costa Rica has a history of taking bold actions on environmental and peace initiatives.