The latest analysis points to a widening gap between the territorial expansion of conservation efforts and the State’s operational capacity for surveillance and management.

A recent analysis by the State of the Nation Program (PEN) has issued a significant warning regarding the current state of environmental governance in Costa Rica. The report identifies a “regression in environmental management,” highlighting a critical paradox: while the country continues to meet and exceed international goals for land and marine protection coverage, the institutional capacity to manage these territories has stagnated or declined.

This diagnostic comes at a pivotal moment as Costa Rica moves to implement the ambitious “30×30” global targets—conserving 30% of land and sea by 2030—raising urgent questions about the sustainability of the country’s renowned conservation model.

The Data: Territorial Expansion vs. Operational Stagnation

The core of the report’s findings lies in the divergence between two key metrics: protected territory and available resources.

In recent years, Costa Rica has significantly expanded its conservation map, most notably through the creation and enlargement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), such as the Bicentennial Marine Management Area. This expansion has solidified the country’s status as a global leader in biodiversity protection.

However, the report underscores that this territorial growth has not been matched by a proportional increase in the budget or workforce of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC).

• Budgetary Constraints: When adjusted for inflation, the financial resources allocated to SINAC have effectively stagnated, limiting the ability to invest in infrastructure, technology, and field operations.
• Human Resource Deficit: The density of surveillance—calculated as the number of rangers per hectare—has diluted. As the territory under protection grows without the recruitment of new personnel, existing staff are stretched increasingly thin, covering vast and often difficult-to-access terrain.

Operational Consequences and Risks

The State of the Nation report details how this administrative imbalance translates into tangible risks on the ground. The lack of operational capacity weakens the State’s presence, creating vulnerabilities in areas that are legally protected but practically unmonitored.

According to the analysis, the reduced capacity for patrolling and control has direct consequences:

• Illegal Logging: The report cites difficulties in containing timber extraction in protected zones, a persistent threat in dense forest areas.
• Poaching and Hunting: A lack of regular patrols limits the ability to deter illegal hunting, putting pressure on endangered species populations.
• Marine Surveillance Challenges: The challenge is acute in the newly expanded marine areas. Unlike terrestrial parks, effective marine control requires specialized vessels, fuel, and technology (such as radar and satellite monitoring) which are currently insufficient to cover the thousands of square kilometers of protected ocean.

Structural Barriers to Management

The report characterizes this situation as a “regression in environmental management,” clarifying that the issue is not a lack of political will to create decrees, but a structural inability to execute them.

The analysis points to fiscal restraints, such as the strict application of the “Fiscal Rule” and hiring freezes within the public sector, as significant hurdles. These administrative barriers prevent environmental agencies from utilizing even the resources they generate (such as park entrance fees) to fill vacant positions or purchase necessary equipment.

Outlook

The State of the Nation report serves as a technical diagnostic tool for policymakers. It concludes that while Costa Rica’s conservation model remains robust in terms of policy and coverage, it is operationally fragile.

The findings suggest that for Costa Rica to maintain its environmental integrity and international reputation, the focus for the coming years must shift from merely declaring new protected areas to ensuring the financial sustainability and administrative modernization of the institutions tasked with guarding them. Without closing the gap between the map and the budget, the country risks managing “paper parks”—areas that are protected in name only.