Regarding policies for production transformation, Costa Rica launched its Plan de Descarbonización in 2019 with the aim of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 through the promotion of a modern, green and sustainable economy. The plan is based on ten sectoral pillars, including industry, transport, energy, construction and agriculture. For the industrial sector, the strategy aims to develop innovative productive models based on circular principles and to decouple growth from emissions by 2050. Regarding energy, the core target is to have 100% renewable electricity by 2030. The agricultural efforts are centred around livestock, coffee, sugarcane, rice, pineapple and musaceae crops. Another central programme is Crecimiento Verde (11th edition), a platform offered by the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica to foster green production transformation in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) specialising in exports. Over 370 companies have already benefited from the programme, with 46% led by women and 51% demonstrating export potential – 49% of which are already engaged in international trade. This has led to a 38% increase in export market diversification. Finally, the Estrategia Nacional de Bioeconomia 2020-2030 establishes a comprehensive framework for sustainable, inclusive and high-value-added production, aligning development with the conservation of biodiversity.
Regarding public financing mechanisms for production transformation, the main source of funding is the Sistema de Banca para el Desarrollo (SBD), a system of banking for development made up of public and private entities that finance technically and economically feasible projects, particularly those aimed at increasing the productivity of MSMEs. The SBD is the main financing source of Crecimiento Verde, offering non-reimbursable capital funds to companies and a technical assistance grant covering 90% of total programme costs. The amount available is USD 17 000 for medium-sized enterprises and USD 13 800 for micro and small companies. Through Crecimiento Verde, MSMEs have been granted a total of USD 4.7 million. The SBD also funds its own initiatives in areas such as inclusion, transformative innovation and productive investment. It offers grants of more than USD 59 000 for innovation processes, loans of nearly USD 2 000 for agricultural development and venture capital funds of nearly USD 9 900 for business promotion.
In terms of international partnerships for production transformation, the European Union-Costa Rica Cooperation Facility 2023-27, with a capacity of USD 12 million, was launched at the Global Gateway Forum. The facility notably targets decarbonisation, digital transformation and innovation. In addition, the Costa Rica Country Partnership Framework 2024-28 from the World Bank aims to strengthen human capital and promote economic growth. In June 2025, a new country programme was established with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation focused on developing technical skills and supporting the green transition. Costa Rica also has a USD 725 million arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (2022) to foster economic resilience and decarbonisation, and another worth USD 450 million with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Agence Française de Développement to support implementation of the National Decarbonisation Plan.