On August 11, the World Bank approved a $4 million grant to Costa Rica to enhance Indigenous Peoples’ participation in forest conservation and ensure their equitable access to the benefits of the country’s Emission Reductions Program from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The initiative will foster inclusive decision-making and knowledge exchange on sustainable land use, with implementation led by the Environmental Bank Foundation (FUNBAM) through the “National Project to Support Social Inclusion in the Emission Reductions Program.”
Funded by the World Bank’s EnABLE trust fund, the project complements the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’s emission reduction efforts by focusing on social inclusion and ensuring Indigenous leadership in planning and execution. For the first time in Costa Rica, Indigenous Peoples will have a decisive role in determining funding priorities, approving conservation activities, and coordinating project strategies. Government officials emphasized that the approach recognizes ancestral knowledge, strengthens autonomy, and advances inclusive sustainable development.
The project will benefit Indigenous groups including the Cabécar, Bribri, Ngabe, Térraba, Boruca, Huetar, Maleku, and Chorotega, with special focus on women and youth. By strengthening Indigenous organizations’ capacity to access and manage benefits from the Emission Reductions Program, the initiative aims to promote environmental sustainability and reduce carbon emissions.
Activities will include training in sustainable agriculture and other eco-friendly economic practices, provision of equipment and supplies, and measures to support land tenure security and climate resilience. Infrastructure investments such as rainwater harvesting systems, small-scale irrigation, and efficient technologies will also be funded. Additionally, the project will support environmental education through interpretive trails, visitor centers, and conservation-focused learning programs to align community well-being with long-term environmental stewardship.
