No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveU.S. Backs C.R. Carbon Neutrality Plan With Grant

U.S. Backs C.R. Carbon Neutrality Plan With Grant

Costa Rica’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2021 received a stamp of approval from the United States government on Wednesday, when U.S. Embassy officials announced the opening of an energy efficiency center in the Central Valley.

The center, to be run out of the University of Costa Rica, “will advance the path toward a cleaner future, with sustainable energy, and will contribute to the goal of going completely carbon neutral by 2021,” said Peter Brennan, chargé d’affaires at the embassy.

As part of a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy program, Costa Rica will be one of the first recipients of a $100,000 grant that will go toward training professionals in a variety of clean technologies as well as accelerating the development and commercialization of energy efficient technologies.

“If Costa Rica can go carbon neutral, it will show the world that it is possible,” said Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a U.S.-based organization that is a partner in the creation of the energy efficiency center. “I think this is one of the reasons Costa Rica was singled out for this highly competitive grant.”

Only a few other programs have been awarded funding under the Low Carbon Communities of the Americas initiative.

“The selection gives important recognition to the leadership of Costa Rica in the region,” Brennan said, in the company of President Oscar Arias, Costa Rican Electricity Institute Executive President Pedro Pablo Quirós, University of Costa Rica Rector Yamileth González and Environment Minister Jorge Rodríguez. “The creation of this center consolidates an extraordinary alliance of leaders in this field, advancing our common agenda of efficient and clean energy in our countries.”

–Chrissie Long

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Pride March 2025 Defies Restrictions and Celebrates Diversity

A large crowd gathered in Paseo Colón, San José, to participate in the LGBTIQ+ Pride March 2025. It began at noon, as people marched...

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...

Costa Rica’s Top Court Bans President Chaves from 2026 Election Campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Thursday barred President Rodrigo Chaves from participating in the 2026 election campaign, ruling that he "illegitimately used" his...

Costa Rica Green Hotels Lead Global Sustainable Tourism

Costa Rica’s reputation as a leader in sustainable tourism grows stronger every year, with our green hotels setting a high bar for eco-conscious hospitality...

Costa Rica’s Piangua Mollusk Threatened by Pineapple Farm Runoff

Costa Rica’s Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland, a 33,000-hectare haven of mangroves and rivers, is under siege from an unlikely source: pineapple farms. A study by...

Retired Nicaraguan Army Captain Sentenced to 50 Years for Treason

A retired military officer was sentenced to 50 years in prison in Nicaragua for the crime of "treason against the homeland," his family denounced...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica