Costa Rica, a world leader in environmental policy, has achieved a new milestone with the creation of the developing world’s first carbon-trading system and its first environmental bank for selling and brokering the sale of carbon credits. The twin developments, launched respectively in September and October, seek to push the country towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by the year 2021 by spurring a reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions and encouraging greater reforestation and forest conservation. Costa Rica has been a pioneer in the use of innovative strategies to increase the nation’s forest cover and protect species. But its well-earned green credentials have come under attack recently amid a rapid increase in polluting traffic in its cities and the flourishing of environmentally... [Log in to read more]