Nature-Positive Urbanism: Conservation and Community Empowerment in Costa Rica's Capital Region
Full Solution
Nature and wellness trail through urban park
Juan Pablo Villalobos / GIZ
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and recognised for its commitment and leadership in nature conservation. The Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) is home to 60% of the country's population with many economic sectors concentrated here. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on already highly vulnerable communities living in the GAM.
To improve biodiversity and ecosystem services, five innovative projects were developed in San José, where more than 50 species of native flora were incorporated into the green urban fabric. Over 40 women developed capacities for the sustainable use of nature's benefits while generating income. 20 public-private partnerships were formed and more than 19 adaptation measures were implemented that contribute to the sustainability of the productive activities in the local communities. Now, over 20,000 people enjoy wellbeing activities in the spaces that have improved their natural condition through the projects.
Last update: 08 Aug 2024
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Context
Challenges addressed
- Environmental challenges:
- Accelerated population growth and poor urban planning have reduced green spaces in the GAM.
- Social challenges:
- Lack of capacity building of the actors responsible for the management of inter-urban biological corridors in planning, management, implementation of measures and cooperation.
- Scarce training for project design and management in GAM organisations.
- Information related to initiatives that promote conservation and urban wellbeing is scarce.
- Economic challenges:
- There are few opportunities working in conservation and urban wellbeing that are profitable.
Location
Central America
Process
Summary of the process
The main components of this solution are technical capacity building and the financial component. Strengthening financial capacities to make the proposals to be financed robust and viable includes the possibility of scaling up the initiatives to the national level.
The greatest strength of this solution is strengthening the capacities of the executing entities in project management while accompanying the process of implementing the technical proposals. Thus achieving:
- The establishment of a nature and wellness trail, implemented by Fundación Parque La Libertad, which takes a tour of the actions (nature-based solutions) that the park has installed.
- The development of a community biological corridor and the use of garden waste to produce compost, which has increased the productive capacities and improved the family income of a group of women entrepreneurs in a community in Santa Ana.
- Strengthening the technical capacities of a women's cooperative (Coopetoyopan) that produces Melipona bee honey in an urban locality of Montes de Oca and actions to scale up the commercialisation of this product.
- The installation of two green bus stations with a bioclimatic design, the prototype of which was proposed for a new bus station.
Building Blocks
Technical Training
Four organisations (Coopecabañas R.L., Parque la Libertad, Asociación de Desarrollo de Cipreses de Oreamuno de Cartago (ADICO) and Coopetoyopan) received support and technical advice to co-design a business plan under a positive economic recovery approach with nature, with achievable objectives and sufficient profitability, or a business idea that complies with this, based on the capacities of the entities executing the project proposals and existing opportunities.
The technical and business capacities of the organisations financed were strengthened to facilitate the implementation of the projects, which contributed solutions that will improve urban wellbeing and contribute to the conservation of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of Costa Rica.
In addition, around 150 people benefited directly from training in green recovery, nature-based solutions, e-commerce, composting, and logistical and operational improvements to their organisations. The key is to provide financial support together with technical training.
Enabling factors
The support of a project that provides technical and financial backing for the training processes is fundamental for carrying out the different capacity building activities. Collaboration between different organisations, such as the formation of public-private alliances, encouraged the implementing organisations to have more support and allowed them to successfully execute the process (more than 20 alliances were formed). Institutional support at the GAM level, such as through MINAE and SINAC, was of great relevance for the implementation of the financing.
Lesson learned
The technical training of the people responsible for the projects, in areas such as business administration, project management and the technical specialities of the project to be developed, is key to take advantage of this type of accompaniment. Prior to the development of the business plan, it is preferable that the projects have already advanced in the development of the prototype of their business idea, which allows for a clearer mapping of the requirements for the development and scaling of the business. The modality of technical support in this type of projects that require development of a product prototype that is tangible and has specific construction and design requirements or biological processes to be developed, requires technical support that considers a mixed face-to-face and virtual modality to make constructive contributions at the site of each project.
Financial support for project development
Technical financial cooperation was provided to four projects in the country's Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), mobilising both public and private investment funds. Two calls were made to access non-reimbursable funds through the Urban Green and Biodiverse Fund (FRUV), administered by Fundecooperación para el Desarrollo Sostenible (Fundecooperación). Fundecooperación made non-reimbursable resources available to four public-private initiatives whose objective was to promote initiatives in the GAM that would have an economic impact on the beneficiaries while integrating the sustainable use or conservation of biodiversity.
Enabling factors
Before issuing the call for projects, work must be done with the organisations to prepare proposals in order to have robust and effective project proposals. Working on capacity building with an economic approach and strengthened the proposals submitted. Having an organisation such as Fundecooperación streamlines the process of disbursement and follow-up of the initiatives.
Lesson learned
For the business ideas led by complex governance structures such as development associations, where all documents and decisions regarding the project must go through approval before the board of directors, longer time frames should be considered, which may double or triple the time it would usually take with organisations with a simpler structure. For future projects whose business idea depends on having a prototype validated by the potential client and/or user, it is preferable to wait until the prototype has been developed and validated in order to complete the development of the business plan with the minimum viable product already developed. It is recommended to carry out follow-up and exchange activities between and for the executing entities.
Impacts
- Environmental impacts:
- Protection and restoration of interurban biological corridors.
- Implementation of more than 19 adaptation measures that support the integration of ecosystem services and interurban biological corridors into the city's planning, management, and decision-making processes.
- Development of actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural ecosystems.
- Social impacts:
- Creation of formal employment and sources of income associated with nature solutions implemented.
- Reduction of health risks for the population.
- Environmental education and associated cultural change.
- Citizen awareness through interaction with nature in spaces of daily use.
- Economic impacts:
- Income generation and job creation, in addition to serving as an example for other institutions.
- Promotion of the implementation of urban biodiversity concepts and green businesses with financing potential.
Beneficiaries
- More than 249,500 indirect beneficiaries
- 4 local organisations receiving non-reimbursable funds
- 4 communities supported
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 1 – No poverty
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 4 – Quality education
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals
