Costa Rica Limpia

Taking center stage at the U.N. Climate Summit on Tuesday, President Luis Guillermo Solís reaffirmed Costa Rica's goal to become the world's first carbon-neutral country by 2021. But while environmentalists applauded the president's bold stance on changes in the transport and energy generation sectors, some groups doubt that a carbon-neutrality goal will truly make the country more sustainable.

In December, the advocacy group Environmental Network Alliance hoped to bring green issues to the forefront of Costa Rica's presidential debates by scheduling an environmental forum for candidates. Only two of 13 candidates – Luis Guillermo Solís and José María Villalta – showed up.