Preserving Biological 1

Running Head: PRESERVING BIOLOGICAL

Preserving Biological Diversity: Costa Rica’s Proposed Policy Prescriptions

April Hughes

Georgia Southern University

INTS 3230
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Introduction/Background:

With population increasing exponentially, the stress upon our environment is inevitable.

Yet, humanity’s protection of its home has been overlooked for far took long. The quest for

environmental improvement is directly correlated to the conservation of biodiversity, and is

paramount to human survival. With so many species yet to be discovered “our pillage of the

natural world has been likened to burning down the medieval libraries of Europe, before we had

even bothered to catalogue their contents” (Kirby) As Costa Ricans, we are very concerned with

this issue. Although our “country has only about 0.1%of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of

the world’s biodiversity” (Hickman). Dr. Alex Monro, leader of London’s Natural History

Museum’s research expedition to Costa Rica in 2008 explains that “finding so many new species

in one area is exciting particularly as this is probably the only place in the world you can find

these animals” (Bio-rich Costa Rica). Due to this diversity, “about twenty-three percent of Costa

Rica is composed of protected forests and reserves” (United Nations).

Costa Rica is also a haven for nature enthusiasts and adventurous travelers. With tourism

being the main “source of foreign exchange” and a huge sector of the economy, our state has

strived to create sustainable practices to maintain the industry and the environment. (Country

Profile). Recently, the trend for ecologically friendly tourism, or ecotoursim has become

popular. Our state has strived to hold our agencies accountable for following the Code of

Environmental Ethics for tourism, which has been defined by the Institute for Central American

Studies’. The goal of ecotourism is to provide a culturally sensitive, environmentally sustainable

experience for visitors, and effectually create revenue for the state economy.
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We have strived to initiate sustainable developmental measures to increase the welfare of

the state, as well as our environment. According to the 2008 Environmental Performance Index

(EPI), which was created by Yale and Columbia Universities, “Costa Rica was ranked fifth…

behind top ranking nations Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland” (Columbia, Costa Rica). This

ranking is an improvement from the 2006 EPI, which placed our country in the fifteenth position.

It is also important to note that Costa Rica achieved best in the battle against air pollution, water

stress, land-burning, and forestry. If these measures for sustainable development and protection

of biodiversity could be expanded to united all global actors, environmental preservation would

certainly be achieved.

Policy Prescriptions:

Policy prescriptions must be enacted before the human stress and misuse causes

irrevocable damage to Earth’s biodiversity. Humanity has reached a turning point it its history, in

which we must choose to look toward the future of our planet, if the survival of the human race

is to be maintained. As a state, we are concerned with sustainable development on a national and

global scale. Costa Rica believes in an aggressive action plan to promote biodiversity

worldwide. As Costa Ricans, when we believe that by preserving our state’s biodiversity, we are

in fact “protecting humanity’s biodiversity” (Costa Rica Forest). It is unfair, however, to place

the burden of global environmental protection upon the backs of those states that hold the most

ecologically rich territories. All entities, governmental, civic, and corporate should be held

accountable for the protection of Earth’s biodiversity.

Costa Rica encourages all states to support the Aggressive Initiative for the Protection of

Global Biodiversity (AIPGB). Although this program will originate as a coalition comprised of

voluntary membership on the state, civic, and corporate level. Costa Rica anticipates high levels
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of involvement, due to the severity of the issue at hand, and the ability for each entity to benefit

from adherence of AIPGB policies. Eventually the AIPGB could be proposed within a proposed

resolution for the United Nations, to ensure compliance and involvement of all state entities.

In order to protect biodiversity on the statewide level, governments will oversee a variety

of different wildlife preservation techniques as part of the AIPGB. Several policies developed

for AIPGB have been conducted successfully on a smaller scale within Costa Rica. Non-

governmental Organizations (NGOs), such as Scientists without Borders or Green Peace will

enter a state to evaluate biological diversity within the land. Upon their recommendation, the

state park services will the expand it’s influence over all lands which are deemed crucial to

biological preservation. Within the last decade “to control deforestation and wildlife, Costa Rica

has undertaken the most progressive natural park system in Latin America and a recent upsurge

in ecotourism has given new impetus to environmental protection efforts” (Reynolds 36).

Additionally, states will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the areas that

have been deemed biologically diverse. However, all state entities should be held responsible for

assisting states, which are extremely important for the preservation of biological diversity, such

as Brazil, Columbia, and Africa. The AIPGB will employ a policy recently established between

the United States and Costa Rica. Under the US Tropical Forest Conservation Act, the “United

States will contribute $12.6 million” to aid the governmental protection of Costa Rican forests.

Also, “the United States and conservation groups will cut $ 26 million from Costa Rican debt in

return for the country spending the same sum on forest protection” (Costa Rica Forest).

Cooperation between NGOs, corporations, and state governments is imperative for the

survival of our planet. Along with assisting state park services in measuring levels of biological

diversity, NGOs will be responsible for creating incentive-based programs to involve local
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citizens. Through private support and large-scale fundraising projects, NGOs and corporate

entities, such as Wal-mart, Target, and Toyota, can unite to create a AIPGB Incentive Program,

which will reward communities and citizens for their local efforts. Our state has “established a

program to compensate landowners for keeping the forests intact and reforesting degraded areas”

(Costa Rica Payments). The government has agreed to pay landowners about $50 for every

forest hectare (2.5 acres) that is protected (Costa Rica Environmental profile). With a

fundraising program, such as an NGO/corporate ran lottery system; funds could be available for

incentive based programs aimed at the preservation of biological diversity.

Conclusion:

With the establishment of these proposed programs, the AIPGB, could rapidly increase

global support, awareness and preservation of Earth’s biological diversity. The decline of global

biodiversity is not merely a concern, but a vital threat to our livelihood and existence. Costa

Rica feels that “ensuring other species keep their living space is not sentimental; it is the only

way we shall survive” (biodiversity). On Earth, “many species keep us alive, purifying water,

fixing nitrogen, recycling nutrients and waste, and pollinating crops” (biodiversity). Through

AIPGB, policies, which have proven successful in Costa Rica, can be expanded and generalized

to meet the global need for measures to protect our planet’s biodiversity. Costa Rica will

continue to protect its biological diversity, but it cannot fight alone. The world must unite

governmentally, civically, and corporately, to save our planet and ourselves.

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Works Cited

Bio-Rich Costa Rica’s New Marvels. (2008). BBC News. 4 January 2008. Retrieved on 7 March

2008 from < http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7170205.stm >

Columbia, Costa Rica, “Top Ten” for Environment. (2008). Environmental News Network. 1

February 2008. Retrieved on 7 March 2008 from

<http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/30459 >

Costa Rica: Environmental Profile. Mongobay News. Retrieved 7 March 2008 from

<http://rainforests.mongobay.com/20costarica.htm >

Costa Rica Gets Forest Fund Boost. (2007). BBC News. 18 October 2007. Retrieved on 7 March

2008 from < http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7050664.stm >

Country Profile: Costa Rica. (2007). BBC News. 7 November 2007. Retrieved on 7 March 2008

from < http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/hi/americas/country_profiles/1166587.stm >

Do Costa Rica’s Payments For Environmental Services Work? (2007). Mongobay News. 17

September 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2007 from <http://news.mongobay.com/2007/0917-

cr.html >

Hickman, Leo. (2007). Shades of Green. The Guardian. 26 May 2007. Retrieved on 7 March

2008 from < http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/may/26/saturday.costarica >

Kirby, Alex. (2004). Biodiversity: The Sixth Great Wave. BBC News. 1 October 2004. Retrieved

on 7 March 2008 from< http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3667300.stm >

Reynolds, Louisa. (2007). Country Profile: Costa Rica. New Internationalist. September 2007.

36.
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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 11 April 2006. Retrieved on 7

March 2008 from < http://unfccc,int/resource/docs/2006/sbsta/eng/misc05.pdf >