How do we measure mitigation and adaptation?

Monteverde is striving to be carbon negative as soon as possible.  If Costa Rica is going to be the world’s next carbon neutral country, rural areas such as Monteverde need to capture much more carbon from the atmosphere than we emit. In order to do so, we need to measure how much carbon we emit, and how much carbon is being captured from the atmosphere.

Emissions Inventory

In 2017 and 2018 we gathered data on 2016 emissions from businesses, farms, and homes in the Monteverde district. We hope to share the results here by June 2018. This information will inform decisions for prioritizing mitigation and adaptation action. In turn, we can more effectively build community resilience in the face of climate change.

grafica-corclima2019es
foto-voluntarios

Photo by: Evelyn Obando

We are enormously grateful to the volunteers who have worked hard to gather this information, and to the farmers, families, and business owners who have cooperated with them. Following the National Climate Change Strategy, these volunteers have gathered statistics from the following sectors:

Electricity
Transportation
Liquid Petroleum Gas
Stationary uses of petroleum
Firewood
Fertilizers
Livestock
Refrigerants
Solid Waste
Septic Tanks
Fire Extinguishers

Carbon Sequestration Inventory

In order to determine how much carbon is being captured by the forests of Monteverde, we are measuring the growth of trees on 24 randomly selected farms. In  20 x 20 meter plots, we are measuring trees with a diameter greater than 10 centimeters at breast height once a year for 5 years. By using this information with aerial photographs and land use maps, we can calculate the quantity of carbon that is being captured.

Many thanks to the local forestry engineers, students, volunteers, and land owners who are participating in order for this to happen! We hope to have an estimate of our carbon balance in 2018, and a more precise measurement in 2019.  Watch for the results here.

medicion-de-arbol-crecimiento

Photo by: Katy VanDusen.

National Carbon Neutral Program 2.0

Carbono Neutralidad monteverde

In September 2017 the National Office of Climate Change (DCC) announced a new carbon neutrality program for counties. Monteverde is one of six municipalities and districts in the cantons to participate in this project.

Indicators of Climate Change Reslience

Resilience is measured by the degree to which we are prepared as a community to minimize the risks and vulnerabilities of climate change. Resilient communities function effectively in spite of adverse climate events. An important indicator of resilience in the community is the ability to reduce water usage each year. For farmers, the indicators include cost effectiveness and sustainable production.  Tourist businesses can measure their resilience in part by the number of tourists who said they visited Monteverde because of climate action here.

Inventory and Resiliency Resources

Guía de Implementación del PPCN 2.0 Categoría Cantonal

 La Ruta al Clima