UN rapporteur and environment feature in Costa Rica

In a press conference on Friday at the conclusion of his 12-day visit (from the 6th to the 17th of this month), Kali Tzae expressed concern about more than 40 years of non-compliance with indigenous law by Costa Rica. state.

For this reason, she referred to the need to constitutionally recognize the existence and right of indigenous peoples to self-determination, to self-governance in accordance with their particularities, in land, territory and resources.

“I am deeply concerned by information received about the existence of structural racism and racial discrimination against indigenous peoples, which impedes the enjoyment of collective and individual rights, particularly for indigenous women, boys, girls, adolescents, women and persons with disabilities,” he affirmed.

Likewise, he described as disturbing that Costa Rica, to date, has not contextualized the murders of indigenous leaders Sergio Rojas (2019) and Jerry Rivera (2020) in the context of the struggle to reclaim indigenous lands, and the lack of progress in the judiciary. The operations of these two cases.

On the other hand, President Carlos Alvarado and Minister of Environment and Energy Andrea Meza signed this Wednesday the decree that formalizes the policy of using surplus resources in the national electrical system for the development of the green hydrogen economy.

Alvarado noted that expectations of increased demand for green hydrogen in the coming decades at the global level, opens up the possibility for Costa Rica to become an exporter, mainly because it has a clean energy matrix and sufficient water.

A day later, Alvarado, Meza and Health Minister Daniel Salas signed the National Marine Litter Plan 2021-2030, an initiative that seeks to reduce the impact of waste on the environment and improve the quality of life for coastal communities.

This instrument will allow a comprehensive, coordinated and adequate management of marine debris, thereby searching for resilient seas, protecting ecosystems and avoiding ocean acidification.

Finally, on Friday, Alvarado and Meza signed a decree to expand the Isla del Coco National Park and the Maritime Administration Area to a bicentennial, in which Costa Rica has expanded the protection of its seas, from 2.7 to 31 percent, exceeding this country’s international commitment to have 30 percent. of its marine reserves by 2030. oda / ale