When passengers step out of the arrivals’ terminal at Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport, there’s a chance they’ll be greeted by what is a rare sight in Central America: an electric taxi.
The bright red sedans—of which there are six—whir passengers to the nearby Costa Rican capital, San Jose, and other parts of the country.
This pilot project, launched in October 2023, is part of an effort to weave electric vehicles into the country’s public transportation network, which is seen as crucial to reducing Costa Rica’s greenhouse gas emissions. The project is led by the CRUSA Foundation, a non-profit group, and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy, with support from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and funding from the Global Environment Facility.
“It is vital that we address transportation emissions,” says Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility. “Electric mobility can improve citizens’ quality of life while also modernizing public transport systems.”
The push comes with greenhouse gas emissions flooding the atmosphere and threatening to raise global temperatures by a potentially catastrophic 2.6° to 3.1° this century, according to UNEP’s latest Emissions Gap Report. The transport sector produces 75 per cent of Costa Rica’s energy-related greenhouse gases, making it by far the largest source of these emissions, finds the International Energy Agency.
Costa Rica’s electric taxi project is not merely about airport transportation—it serves as a testing ground to evaluate the performance and costs of electric vehicles in real-world operations. That’s an important step towards scaling up electric transport nationwide and achieving Costa Rica’s national decarbonization plans, says Flora Montealegre, Executive Director of CRUSA.
Costa Rica’s embrace of renewable energy makes it uniquely positioned for success in the electric transport sector, say observers. Over 95 per cent of the country’s electricity comes from renewable sources.
“Coupled with renewable energy and technical capacity, Costa Rica is fertile ground for scaling electric mobility,” says Roberto Urcuyo, a researcher at the University of Costa Rica.
The project is also paving the way for greater inclusivity. Three of the electric taxis at the airport are driven by women, signalling progress in gender equality within the traditionally male-dominated taxi industry. “Taking this step is a way to encourage and motivate other women to participate in this sector,” says Erica Cordero, one of the three female e-taxi drivers in the pilot project.
This emphasis on inclusivity aligns with the project’s broader vision of a socially equitable transition to electric transport.
Costa Rica’s plans include expanding the initiative to other modes of public transport.
“We are not stopping at taxis,” explains Carlos Ávila Arquin, Vice Minister of Land Transport and Road Safety in Costa Rica. “We are working hard to achieve electric buses soon and encourage drivers nationwide to transition to [electric vehicles].”
The initiative is one of 50 electric mobility projects supported by the Global Environment Facility. It demonstrates how support for transitioning to electric mobility can simultaneously lower emissions, foster social equality and modernize public transport systems, say those involved, who hope Costa Rica could one day serve as an example to its neighbours.
“I believe it would be wonderful for the entire country if everyone could switch to electric taxis,” says Maria Santamaria, a female e-taxi driver. “Technology can help foster sustainability, and Costa Rica is showing the way forward.”
For more information about the UNEP-backed project, officially titled Accelerating the move to electric buses in Costa Rica, contact Asher Lessels (Asher.Lessels@un.org)
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About the Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral fund dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health. Its grants, blended financing, and policy support helps developing countries address their biggest environmental priorities and adhere to international environmental conventions. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than US$22 billion in financing and mobilized another US$120 billion for more than 5,000 national and regional projects.
The Sectoral Solution to the climate crisis
UNEP is at the forefront of supporting the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global temperature rise well below 2°C, and aiming for 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. To do this, UNEP has developed the Sectoral Solution, a roadmap to reducing emissions across sectors in line with the Paris Agreement commitments and in pursuit of climate stability. The six sectors identified are: energy; industry; agriculture and food; forests and land use; transport; and buildings and cities.
