Vice Minister Carlos Isaac Pérez outlines national advances ahead of Woodrise 2025

Costa Rica is pioneering climate-positive construction through ambitious forest-based policies and innovative regulation.

In his statement to Woodrise 2025, Vice Minister Carlos Isaac Pérez details key milestones: the launch of the country’s first National Code for Construction with Wood, development of a Climate Change Code for the Construction Sector, and creation of a National System for Forest Traceability with a “Legal Timber” seal. Backed by financing from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev), and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), these initiatives strengthen forest SMEs, embed deforestation-free standards, and align with international principles for responsible wood construction—including those championed by Built by Nature and the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP).

Costa Rica’s approach is rooted in strong private-sector alliances that have helped drive innovation and implementation across the value chain. These efforts are fully integrated into the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), reinforcing its role as a regional leader in sustainable building and global climate governance.

With eyes on COP30 in Brazil, Costa Rica’s forest-based construction strategy sets the stage for renewed international commitments and positions the country as a model for climate-positive development.