Natural Intelligence Worldwide

Costa Rica's Seventh Generation Ethic: Invest in Nature, Invest in the Future

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Environment and Energy Minister, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the most efficient and healthy countries in the world— tripling their economic growth, while recovering 1.1. million hectares of degraded land, protecting their watersheds, operating on 100% renewable energy, doubling the projected forested area, and advancing a robust eco-tourism industry.

It is no wonder that Costa Rica ranks high on the happiness, air quality, life quality indices.

What’s their secret?  According to Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Environmental and Energy minister for Costa Rica- intergenerational investment in protecting nature, which stems from a deep cultural understanding of the value of nature to the economic and ecological wellbeing of the country and people- is the key.

How do we incentivize other countries and leaders to learn from Costa Rica’s success? Indeed, that is the central question. Currently, the world invests 0.008% of our global GDP in the protection of nature; yet nature has the potential to decarbonize our world and reduce climate stress by 30% while also providing up to $123 trillion USD of value in nature’s services.

Clearly, the opportunity for investing in nature is a win-win-win solution for personal, political, planetary health. But, it’s important to realize that our current economic decisions are destroying the life support system of the planet… Thus, it is time to invest in nature.