Peace With Nature in Costa Rica

On February 21st, I wrote in my entry, "The Ticos, Their Trees, and Climate Change" about Costa Rica and the avoided deforestation activities taking place there. On September 19th, I visited Costa Rica for what was an exciting culmination of work with the Salt Lake City nonprofit Pax Natura ("Peace With Nature") to sell carbon credits derived from avoided deforestation activities in Costa Rica.

Larry Wolfe, Holland & Hart's Managing Partner, accompanied me on the trip to represent Holland & Hart at a signing ceremony with the Costa Rican government, at which the formal agreement between Pax Natura and Costa Rica was signed and a check for the first installment of resultant payments was presented. This arrangement is truly unique in that it exists outside of the Kyoto Protocol, since Kyoto does not recognize avoided deforestation in the Kyoto credit marketplace. It's been fascinating work to be a part of and is a great example of the innovative ideas surfacing around the world for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions.

Larry Wolfe was interviewed by blogger Len Edgerly about his reflections on the ceremony. To view it, click here:

(Contributed by Jim Holtkamp, Environmental Compliance attorney in the Salt Lake City office)