Costa Rica has done it again! This little country that continually shows the world how conservation of the environment can be done and under the sustainable development flag has received yet another prestigious award. As the fight against climate change and conservation becomes more relevant and urgent, Costa Rica leads the pack and the world! Let´s show you the Champion of the Earth.
Enchanting Hotels and Enchanting Experiences and its collections of boutique hotels and unique experiences are proud of Costa Rican and part of the continued efforts to offer exceptional products and services under the sustainable tourism flag. Each hotel and tour operator of the collections are fully committed to implementing sustainable practices and thus, being part of the Costa Rica success story.
Let’s see some of the latest, global awards that Costa Rica has won:
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Earthshot Prize 2021
The Earthshot Prize is presently run by The Royal Foundation and recognizes five “Earthshots” or critical issues or environmental challenges and the measures that are being taken to repair the globe. This is its inaugural year and Costa Rica was one of the 5 winners!
The five “Earthshots” include:
- Protect and Restore Nature
- Clean our Air
- Revive our Oceans
- Build a Waste-free World
- Fix our Climate
Costa Rica was the winner in the Protect and Restore Nature Earthshot in recognition of its reforestation program. Through an ambitious plan, the government pays citizens to protect forests, plant trees, and restore ecosystems. This means that Costa Rica has more than doubled forest coverage since the program began in the ’90s.
This hugely successful program not only means there are more natural spaces for flora and fauna, but it also means that eco-tourism has been able to thrive in Costa Rica too. Add the 25% of protected lands in the network of national parks and you have a true winner!
The Enchanting Hotels Costa Rica collection of boutique hotels are all part of this movement of protecting the local ecosystems, planting native flora, and implementing sustainable tourism practices. So, when you stay at any and all of the Enchanting Hotels, you are part of something good for the earth.
As stated in the Earthshot webpage, here is how they explain the prize
The Earthshot Prize is the most prestigious global environment prize in history, designed to incentivize change and help repair our planet over the next ten years.
The Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism, by highlighting the ability of human ingenuity to bring about change, and inspiring collective action.
We are so proud of you Costa Rica!
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UN Champion of the Earth
Costa Rica was awarded the coveted “UN Champion of the Earth” for its pioneering role in fighting climate change. This is the United Nation´s highest environmental honor and Costa Rica was recognized in the policy leadership category.
What Costa Rica has been able to do is put environmental concerns at the forefront of economic and political policies. This ultimately means that sustainability can be achieved and is good for the economy.
What Costa Rica did was draft a detailed plan to decarbonize its economy by 2050 in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN´s Sustainable Development Goals. This draft could well be a template that other countries can use to achieve a reduction in deadly emissions and thus, curbing the disastrous effects of climate change.
As Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme stated:
“Costa Rica has been a pioneer in the protection of peace and nature and sets an example for the region and for the world,”
“Climate change demands urgent and transformative action from all of us. With its ambitious plans to decarbonize the economy, Costa Rica is rising to that challenge,” she added. “Global emissions are reaching record levels and we must act now to move to cleaner, more resilient economies.
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Global Climate Action 2020
Yet another United Nations award under its belt! Costa Rica received the 2020 United Nations Award for Global Climate Action for its “Payment for Environmental Services”. The 13 winners around the world recognized examples of how climate change can be combated in three different areas. Costa Rica´s award was in the “Financing Climate-Friendly Investments” category.
So, what is the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA)?
In simple terms, it is a financial mechanism that recognizes landowners for forest protection and producers. It has contributed to the incredible progress that Costa Rica has made in reforestation to the benefit of fighting climate change, the mitigation of greenhouse gases, and economic stability to many local Costa Ricans.
Many of the forest protectors and producers who are part of the PSA program are women, indigenous peoples, forest organizations, and small forest producers. Many are from areas with the lowest index of social development too. The PSA provides them with a consistent income and thus sustainable development in these vulnerable regions.
All these initiatives and programs in the protection of the environment and Costa Rica´s rich biodiversity mean that your vacations in this little environmental powerhouse of a destination will be more exciting and much more fulfilling. When visiting Costa Rica, you not only will have an unforgettable holiday in paradise, but you will also be validating and supporting the hard work the public and private sectors are putting into their conservation efforts. This is a win-win for eager travelers, the country, and the environment.
Enchanting Costa Rica would love to be part of your close-to-nature adventures and experiences. Each hotel is located in the best places in the country, and you will be treated to the world-renowned Costa Rican hospitality in the most beautiful hotels. Let´s show you the champion of the earth!
