Costa Rica, an Eden of many challenges

Costa Rica, a Central American country between Nicaragua and Panama, is often cited as an example of eco-tourism. However, this form of sustainable tourism, focused on discovering nature and respecting the environment, does not always benefit the local population.

A model for a carbon-free world

In the 1970s, after a long period of deforestation, Costa Rica focused on responsible tourism and an ambitious environmental protection policy. A decision that went against the grain of all its neighbours, this choice was, at first sight, surprising. Still, it is with pride that today, Costa Rica finds itself over 53% covered by forests and over 98% of the country’s energy produced by renewable sources (hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, wind power, solar energy…).

In 2019, Costa Rica announced it wanted to go even further with an environmental plan to see the country reach its 0-carbon target by 2050. The government is committed to ensuring that 70% of buses and taxis are replaced by electric vehicles by 2035 and 100% by 2050. With a population of 5 million, Costa Rica already produces just 0.02% of the planet’s total emissions. The country alone is home to 6% of the world’s flora and fauna despite representing just 0.03% of the Earth’s land mass: ¼ of its territory has been designated a “protected natural area”. 

Protecting nature against new economic appetites. 

This “ode to pure life” attracts 3 million foreign visitors yearly, representing between 8% and 9% of the national GDP. The pandemic has significantly impacted the country’s economy, both overall and locally, with the unemployment rate rising to 14%. In the south of the country, poverty has increased sharply, prompting more and more people to clear the land in search of precious metals such as gold. Agriculture is also a source of concern for environmentalists. Pineapple growers (the world’s leading producers and exporters) hold the record for pesticide use per hectare at the edge of the mangrove swamps. 

According to Diego Bermudez, president of the Costa Rican Tourist Guides’ Union: “Many parks exceed the maximum number of visitors they are authorised to receive each day. Ten years ago, I used to see five pairs of quetzals [one of the region’s most precious birds] a day in some parks. Today, I have to walk for hours to find them.” One of the main consequences of over-tourism is plastic pollution. Government initiatives have been taken and since 25 February 2021 the use and entry of single-use plastics into national parks and reserves has been banned. Introducing plastic recycling is also challenging for the country, where only corks can be recycled. 

Moreover, 12% of Costa Rica’s revenue comes from a one-off fuel tax. Suppose the country achieves its objective of reducing or even eliminating fossil fuels. This funding source will no longer be valid, so another lever must be found. Although the “green tax” reform is already underway, there are few details on its natural consequences.

The other side of the coin

This green paradise also hides many inequalities. Costa Rica has eight indigenous peoples: the Boruca, Bribri, Terraba, Cabecar, Chorotega, Huetar, Maleku and Ngäbe. They represent 2.4% of the country’s total population, around 100,000 people. 34% live in the country’s 24 indigenous territories, which account for around 7% of Costa Rican territory. 

To this day, the Costa Rican constitution does not recognise any special rights for indigenous peoples. It was only in 2015 that Article 1 of the constitution was amended to specify that the state is multi-ethnic and multicultural. Article 76 of the text requires the State to ensure “the preservation and development of the national indigenous languages”.

It was not until 1977 that the indigenous populations were granted the right to vote. This law recognises the legal capacity of indigenous peoples and establishes that indigenous peoples must govern indigenous territories according to the traditional community structures or laws of the Republic that govern them. Similarly, in 2016, Costa Rica launched a national plan to recover indigenous territories (led by the Institute for Rural Development). However, the United Nations rapporteur noted in 2022 that no restitution occurred. This is in addition to the systematic attacks on indigenous leaders and defenders of human rights and the environment. In recent years, acts of intimidation (mainly house and crop burnings and death threats) have multiplied. 

¼ of its territory is certainly labelled a “protected natural area,” but protected from whom? It seems that the indigenous peoples are not properly consulted about the boundaries and management of these “protected” areas. Some “protected” areas encroach on indigenous peoples’ territory, denying them access to sacred sites and the practice of ancestral activities such as fishing and hunting. These activities are carried out while respecting traditional knowledge and protecting the species concerned and the environment.

These inequalities are also felt at an economic level. Structural racism also leads to a high level of social and political exclusion of indigenous peoples. The unemployment rate for indigenous people, for example, is 59.3%. What’s more, 70.1% of indigenous households are unable to meet their basic needs, compared with 24.6% of the Costa Rican population as a whole. 

New government policies in favour of indigenous peoples

The country introduced a joint indigenous consultation mechanism to promote the political participation of indigenous peoples in 2018 as a demonstration of goodwill to better integrate indigenous peoples into decision-making processes. In line with this process, in 2022, the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples welcomed national governments’ adoption of an inter-ministerial approach to indigenous issues. He said: “The management and approach to processes related to indigenous peoples demonstrate respect for indigenous practices, knowledge and worldviews.” He stressed that this was a positive step towards democracy. Let’s now wait and see what the next moves will be from the Conservative government of Rodrigo Chaves.

 

By Alicia Charon, Intern of KALLIED