Costa Rica’s breakthrough: Improving methane emission quantification in the livestock sector

The livestock sector holds significant socioeconomic importance in Costa Rica, covering a substantial 37 percent of the national territory. This sector not only generates employment, ecosystem services, and rural development opportunities, but also ensures a steady supply of meat and dairy products for the nation’s consumers and exports. Furthermore, the ranchers play a crucial role in conserving around 18 percent of the forests beyond state-protected areas.

Livestock plays an important role in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals in Costa Rica. In 2017, the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sector accounted for 20.5 percent of the country’s emissions, in which over 62 percent was attributed to enteric fermentation of  ruminants.

FAO organized a national workshop in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica to facilitate dialogue with national stakeholders around methane emissions from national livestock systems. The workshop provided a platform for the presentation of national methane research and for the identification of opportunities to improve the quantification of methane emissions from livestock. Participants agreed to establish a platform for inter-institutional collaboration in order to develop a national research agenda on methane in the medium term.

During the workshop, Catalina Etcheverry, representative of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), emphasized the need to reduce methane emissions as the most effective means of combating global warming in the short term. This reduction should be pursued alongside decarbonization efforts and the development of sustainable food systems. Etcheverry stated, “We recognize that the agricultural sector is responsible for nearly 40 percent of annual methane emissions of human origin, making it the largest methane emitter and a vital part of the solution. A methane reduction in the agricultural sector of 20 to 25 percent is not only achievable at low cost but also necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement goals.”

Andrea Padilla, Programme Assistant at the FAO Representation in Costa Rica highlighted that the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031 aims to drive the transformation of agrifood systems towards enhanced efficiency, sustainability, productivity, inclusivity and resilience. The strategic framework revolves around four principles and major areas of work: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, with the goal of attaining a sustainable food system globally.

Costa Rica’s commitments 

Since 2015, the government of Costa Rica has been actively engaged in implementing initiatives to improve the sustainability of the livestock sector through a coordinated action of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), and the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). The Strategy for the Development of Low Carbon Livestock was introduced in 2015, followed by the more recent implementation of the Sustainable Livestock Policy of Costa Rica in 2022.

These policy frameworks have played a vital role in guiding the livestock sector towards meeting the growing demands for increased productivity and profitability. They have also been instrumental in reducing GHG emissions per unit of animal product, promoting soil carbon sequestration, and enhancing the sector’s resilience to climate variability.

As a signatory of the Paris Agreement dedicated to fulfilling its nationally determined contributions (NDC), Costa Rica has committed to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the AFOLU sector. To make this possible, Costa Rica has implemented various initiatives, such as the Livestock Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA Livestock), the low-emission development strategy (LEDS), and the national strategy for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). By adopting these measures, Costa Rica strives to improve its understating of emissions and removals in the AFOLU sector and effectively align its efforts with the climate targets set in the NDC. 

Costa Rica has recently adhered to the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative presented during COP26 in Glasgow, the United Kingdom. By joining the Pledge, the country demonstrates its voluntary commitment to taking action that contributes to a collective global objective: reducing global methane emissions by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030.

During the workshop, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, Fernando Vargas, highlighted the challenges associated with innovating in methane research. While the country possesses valuable human resources to advance in this area, the Vice Minister stressed the need for financial resources, support, and international cooperation to facilitate research, knowledge transfer, and to continue meeting international commitments and national development priorities. Closing the event, Vice Minister highlighted the country’s interest in formulating a methane research agenda that responds to national objectives and that drives progress in livestock sustainability.

About the workshop

Convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) at Universidad de Costa Rica, the workshop took place in San José from 11 to 12 May 2023 within the framework of the FAO project on "Reducing enteric methane for improving food security and livelihoods" funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The project is implemented by FAO in collaboration with the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC).

The primary objective of this workshop was to strengthen climate action through the improvement of methane emissions’ quantification and optimization. The event aimed to support the development of a low-emission livestock sector in Costa Rica and brought together around 30 representatives from various sectors, including government institutions, academia, private sector, FAO and other United Nations entities.