128Canopy Blog

Costa Rica has experienced an important increase in its tourism market for over 20 years and has reached a point at which authorities seek to do all within the country’s possibility to reduce CO2 emissions and decrease the climate change threats.

Since 2007, authorities have made available to local and international travelers a website where travelers may calculate the amount of carbon gas emission his or her trip will generate.  For example, a direct flight from the United States to Costa Rica will give off around 3 tons of carbon dioxide.  Therefore, if the traveler wishes to compensate for that gas emission, he or she will need to donate US$15 at US$5 per ton of CO2.

The institution in charge of the Costa Rican portion of the program is the National Foundation for Forest Financing (FONAFIFO).  The organization has announced that so far since the program’s launching in 2007, a total of US$10,825 have been donated for the reforestation process.

Reforestation locations are scattered throughout Costa Rica in areas such as Guanacaste, Alajuela, Heredia, Limon and San Jose.  The funds that are donated by travelers will be invested in the planting of native trees as well as commercial species.

If traveling to Costa Rica or within Costa Rica, travelers may visit the organization’s website at www.fonafifo.com and calculate the total gas emission for the trip and donate US$5 per ton.  At the end of the transaction, users may choose between a payment receipt and a gas mitigation certificate.