Costa Rica is globally recognized as a pioneer in conservation, largely thanks to its revolutionary Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, which helped the nation reverse deforestation and double its forest cover. Now, the country is taking another visionary step forward. This article explores the PSA Biodiversity Plus program, the next evolution of Costa Rica’s green economic model,and how it aligns the nation with the world’s most ambitious conservation goals.
Beyond Just Trees: What is PSA Biodiversity Plus?
The original PES (known as PSA in Spanish) program was groundbreaking because it paid landowners to keep their forests standing, recognizing the value of services like carbon capture and water protection. The new PSA Biodiversity Plus goes a significant step further. Instead of just paying for the existence of a forest, the new program incentivizes measurable actions that actively improve the health and richness of its biodiversity.
The mechanism focuses on funding specific, impactful activities, including:
- Protecting and recovering water sources.
- Restoring degraded ecosystems and wetlands.
- Creating biological connectivity to allow wildlife to move freely.
- Promoting sustainable agroforestry systems that integrate nature and agriculture.
This updated model continues to prioritize small and medium-sized landowners and Indigenous Territories, ensuring that the people who live in and directly manage these vital ecosystems are the primary beneficiaries. It represents a crucial shift from a static conservation model to one that invests in dynamic, functional landscapes.
A Global Connection: From the Rainforest to Montreal
This policy innovation is not happening in a vacuum. It is Costa Rica’s direct response to its commitments on the world stage. The PSA Biodiversity Plus program is a key tool for achieving the targets set by two major international agreements:
- The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: This is the world’s master plan for nature. One of its most famous goals is the “30×30” target—protecting 30% of the planet’s land and sea by 2030. By funding conservation and restoration on private lands, PSA Biodiversity Plus helps Costa Rica meet this goal beyond its national parks.
- The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: The program is perfectly aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
By linking its national incentive program to these global frameworks, Costa Rica reinforces its role as a leader that translates international commitments into tangible, on-the-ground action.
Updating the National Roadmap
To integrate these new global goals and domestic policies, Costa Rica is currently in the process of updating its National Biodiversity Strategy. This document serves as the country’s official roadmap for all conservation-related activities. The updated strategy will formally incorporate the Kunming-Montreal targets, and programs like PSA Biodiversity Plus will serve as the primary instruments to execute the plan, ensuring that policy and practice are perfectly aligned.
