After Paris Deal Costa Rica Provides Other Nations The Ready Example For Achieving New Emission Targets

by Benson Agoha | Environment

* Wind Turbines are not new, but are now technologically
advanced, to produce, clean and reliable energy without harm
to the environment. (Credit: via Wiki)

Nations of the world put aside their jolt in the light of the terror attacks on Paris, to gather in the French capital, less than 2 weeks after the incident to hammer out a deal on how to save our planet - the only planet, we've got, whilst we still can.

Unlike previous attempts, world leader's upbeat mood, as exemplified by their pre-negotiation speeches at the conference, nudged their ministers to reach a much louded agreement.

But as they explored the best way to keep carbon emissions low, Costa Rica was celebrating for ending 2015 on 99% dependence on only green energy.

The country boasted that almost all of the energy it has produced in 2015 came from renewable sources, making them unlikely global leader in green energy.

Costa Rica is a small country located in Central America and according to the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) “We close 2015 with 99 percent of clean energy!” adding “the energy produced … in 2015 reaches 98.95 % with renewable sources as of December 17.”

According to the statement ICE managed to power the country through 285 days counting from January.

It said: “We close 2015 with 99 percent of clean energy!” announced the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) on Facebook, saying that “the energy produced … in 2015 reaches 98.95 % with renewable sources as of December 17.”

According to a reported credit to AFP, Luis Pacheco Boss of the ICE electricity division remarked that: “We are closing 2015 with renewable electricity milestones that have put us in the global spotlight,” predicting even better results for Costa Rica’s energy sector in 2016.

And it was all achieved for Costa Rica, despite the fact that 2015 was "extremely dry."

But how was this even possible? Three quarters of the country’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power stations, helped by Costa Rica's abundant river system and their luck with heavy rainfall. Other sources of green energy are geothermal, wind, biomass, and solar.

As the remarkable Paris agreement was reached on the important condition that each nation must set it's own emission targets, Costa Rica provides a ready example of what is possible, when local opportunities are exploited to solve climate problems.

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* Also published on LinkedIn.