Potential of renewable energy production: an assessment of Costa Rica's decarbonization plan
| Autor | Tom Okot/Christian Francisco Solis Barquero/Fernando Alberto Valverde |
| Cargo | Professor and Head of Business Administration Department at Latin American University of Science and Technology - Costa Rica/Final year MBA student specializing in operations management at Latin American University of Science and Technology - Costa Rica/Final year MBA student specializing in operations management at Latin American University of... |
| Páginas | 26-49 |
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4402-2127
Rhombus-ULACIT
|
Vol.1, núm. 2
|
julio-diciembre del 2021
|
ISSN: 16 59 1623 26
Potential of renewable energy production: an
assessment of Costa Rica’s decarbonization plan
MSc, MBA, Tom Okot ORCID: 0000-0002-4402-2127
1
Eng. Christian Francisco Solis Barquero
2
Eng. Fernando Alberto Valverde
3
Date received: December 21st, 2020 | Approval date: April 18th, 2021
INVESTIGACIÓN
Abstract 1 2 3
As part of a comprehensive strategy and country’s future sustainable carbon footprint
achievement, Costa Rica in 2019 launched an initiative to become the very rst carbon-
neutral economy in the world by the year 2050. To accomplish this ostentatious goal, the
country has developed the National Decarbonization Plan. This strategy is based upon 10
robust focus areas which are ambitious in nature thus providing an international blueprint
for a net-zero emission economy. This study critically analyzes the gaps, challenges, and
proposes academic based recommendations for the sustainable implementation of the plan.
In-depth research was conducted on Transport and Sustainable Mobility Scope covering
focal areas; 1, 2 and 3. Furthermore, ve internationally renowned experts who reviewed
prior the plan were also consulted. As of 2020 there is not an effective public transportation
service in the GAM where lives more than 40% of the entire country’s population. Almost,
90% of the High-Capacity Network vehicle infrastructure does not comply with parameters
of the National Transportation Plan in terms of the available number of lanes; in the absence
of changes, the percentage of routes with major trafc problems will go from 48% in 2017
up to 86% in 2025. The authors also conducted additional research, but in this scenario,
a COVID-19 impact lens was applied to reassess the future of the plan. Several of these
presented challenges include, the non-approval of new necessary laws, national scal debt,
bureaucracy, and the recent emergency caused by Covid-19. However much this plan is
revolutionary, it is a positive stride towards sustainable development which fosters global
peace and nature-based economic stability. The general objective of this essay is to inquire
about the state of the art in the teaching of economics, through a literary review of recent
contributions to the subject. In particular, the specic objectives of this study are to describe
1 Professor and Head of Business Admi nistration Depar tment at Latin America n University of Science
and Technology - Costa Rica. All correspondences should be emailed: tokoto199@ulacit.ed.cr (author
role-principal i nvestigator).
2 Final year MBA student specializing in oper ations management at Latin American University of Science
and Technology - Costa Rica, email: csolisb621@ulacit.ed.cr (author role-contributing investigator).
3 Final year MBA student specializing in oper ations management at Latin American University of Science
and Technology - Costa Rica, email: fvalverder653@ulacit.ed.cr (author role-contributing investigator).
Rhombus-ULACIT
|
Vol.1, núm. 2
|
julio-diciembre del 2021
|
ISSN: 16 59 1623 27
Okot, Solís Barquero, Valverde INVESTIGACIÓN
the general panorama in the implementation of recent educational models; study the role that research
plays in university institutions; and identify the challenges that arise in the teaching of economics.
Key words:
Decarbonization, Renewable energy, Sustainable Development, Carbon footprint
Introduction
Costa Rica is an independent state in Central America, a small country just in the middle of the continent.
It has a population of approximately 5 million people living in its territory. In this small developing
country, around 99% of its electricity comes from renewable sources such as rivers, heat from volcanoes,
wind, sun, and biological waste. However, there is still a long journey to fully achieve a net-zero emission
economy by 2050. Strong policies must be enacted to boost the advancement of this plan in addition to all
sectoral inclusion in decision makings irrespective of age, gender or political afliation (OECD, 2018).
According to Yépez-García & Dana (2012), the paradox of Costa Rica’s reality in terms of renewable
sources is that it still continues to import petroleum. This is because 70% of all energy consumption
requires non-renewable energy and the main reason is that the transportation system is designed to be
100% dependent on fossil fuels. With all these clean energy alternatives Costa Rica has due to its tropical
geographical location, the country can transition to electricity-run instead of fossil fuels. The negative
effects of fossil fuels directly impact the environment and causes immediate variations in climate change
(Monge-González, 2016). For this reason, Costa Rica considered tackling fossil fuels as a priority and
center of progress. That is also the reason as to why the rst key actions of the national decarbonization
plan focuses on transportation and sustainable mobility.
A petroleum dependent economy must improvise mechanisms which make such economic activity
sustainable without harming the future nor compromising the planet. This is in line with any other
economic activity, it will always have its pros and cons but the model of operation is what makes clean
energy alternative a catalyst of transformational growth (Le et al., 2019). For a developing country like
Costa Rica, it should strongly diversify its economy and explore other green energy alternatives. Tropical
countries have a variety of options such as hydro energy, the use of windmills etc. these alternatives when
implemented correctly, they can help Costa Rica to achieve its decarbonization plan for 2050.
Three of the focus areas on which the government of Costa Rica intends to consolidate efforts and
projections on achieving the objective of the decarbonization of the country by 2050, are under the
transportation and sustainable mobility category. For this reason, the government has set forward the task
Para continuar leyendo
Solicita tu prueba