Costa Rica is world-famous for being green. Its land territory hosts more than 5% of the world’s plant and animal diversity, nearly all electricity comes from renewable sources, the country famously reversed deforestation and increased forest cover since 1996 and eco-tourism is a major source of revenue.

We think that even the oceans should be more green! The country has 801 miles of coastline on both the Pacific and Atlantic and nine times more maritime territory than land. High levels of sun exposure and powerful currents off of the Pacific coast create good conditions for establishing a seaweed industry.

Costa Rica invests in its people. The country abolished its army 75 years ago and has since invested more resources into health and education. The results are striking: Costa Rica has a literacy rate of over 97% and a life expectancy of over 80 years.

However, many people in coastal regions live in impoverished circumstances. Local livelihoods often rely on the sea, but fish catch and fishing permits continue to decrease. In addition, these areas are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Ocean’s Oasis seeks to boost the resiliency of Costa Rica’s coastal communities.

The Costa Rican government has implemented systems to protect and regenerate the country’s ecological capital. The most notable example being the Payments for Environmental Services
Program introduced in 1996 to pay farmers to reforest their lands. This scheme has paid landowners over $500 million and rehabilitated 1.3 million hectares of forest. A seaweed industry should be expected to also benefit from strong regulatory support.