9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
How do we build a society

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
without fossil fuels?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is a very complex challenge,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and I believe developing countries

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
could take the lead in this transition?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I'm aware that this[br]is a contentious statement,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but the reality is that so much[br]is at stake in our countries

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
if we let fossil fuels stay

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
at the center of our development.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We can do it differently,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and it's time, it really is time,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to debunk the myth

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that a country has to choose[br]between development on the one hand

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and environmental protection,[br]renewables, quality of life, on the other.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I come from Costa Rica,[br]a developing country.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We are nearly 5 million people,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and we live right in the middle[br]of the Americas,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so it's very easy to remember[br]where we live.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Nearly 100 percent of our electricity

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
comes from renewable sources,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
five of them.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(Applause)

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Hydropower, geothermal,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
wind, solar, biomass.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Did you know that last year,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for 299 days,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we did not use any fossil fuels

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in order to generate all our electricity?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's a fantastic achievement,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and yet, it hides a paradox,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which is that nearly 70 percent

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of all our energy consumption is oil.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Why?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because of our transportation system,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which is totally dependent[br]on fossil fuels,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
like it is in most countries.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So if we think of the energy transition[br]as a marathon,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the question is, how do we get[br]to the finishing line,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
how do we decarbonize[br]the rest of the economy?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And it's fair to say[br]that if we don't succeed,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
it's difficult to see who will.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So that is why I want to talk to you[br]about Costa Rica,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because I believe we are a great candidate

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in pioneering a vision for development[br]without fossil fuels.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If you know one thing about our country,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
it is that we don't have an army.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So I'm going to take you back to 1948.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That year, the country[br]was coming out of civil war.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Thousands of Costa Ricans had died,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and families were bitterly split,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and yet, a surprising idea[br]won the hearts and minds:

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we would reboot the country,[br]and that Second Republic

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
would have no army.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So we abolished it.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And the president at the time,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
José Figueres, found a powerful way[br]by smashing the walls of an army base.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The following year, 1949,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we made that decision permanent[br]in the new constitution,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that is why I can tell you that story[br]nearly 70 years later.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I'm grateful.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm grateful they made that decision[br]before I was born,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because it allowed me[br]and millions of others

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to live in a very stable country.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And you might be thinking[br]that it was good luck,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but it wasn't.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There was a pattern of deliberate choices.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In the '40s, Costa Ricans were given[br]free education and free health care.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We called that social guarantees.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By abolishing the army,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we were able to turn military spending[br]into social spending,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that was a driver of stability.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In the '50s --

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(Applause) --

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In the '50s, we started[br]investing in hydropower,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that kept us away from the trap

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of using fossil fuels[br]for electricity generation,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which is what the world[br]is struggling with today.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In the '70s we invested in national parks,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that kept us away

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
from the deeply flawed logic[br]of growth, growth, growth at any cost

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that you see others embracing,[br]especially in the developing world.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In the '90s, we pioneered payments[br]for ecosystem services,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that helped us reverse deforestation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and boosted ecotourism,[br]which today is a key engine of growth.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So investing in environmental protection

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
did not hurt our economy.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Quite the opposite.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And it doesn't mean we are perfect,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and it doesn't mean[br]we don't have contradictions.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That's not the point.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The point is that,[br]by making our own choices,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we were able to develop resilience[br]in dealing with development problems.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Also, if you take a country like ours,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the GDP per capita[br]is around 11,000 dollars,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
depending on how you measure it.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But according[br]to the Social Progress Index,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we are an absolute outlier[br]when it comes to turning GDP

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
into social progress.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Abolishing the army,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
investing in nature and people,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
did something very powerful too.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It shaped the narrative,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the narrative of a small country[br]with big ideas,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and it was very empowering[br]to grow up with that narrative.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So the question is,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
what is the next big idea[br]for this generation?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I believe what comes next[br]is for this generation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to let go of fossil fuels for good,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
just as we did with the army.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Fossil fuels create climate change.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We know that, and we know

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
how vulnerable we are[br]to the impacts of climate change.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So as a developing country,[br]it is in our best interest

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to build development[br]without fossil fuels

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that harm people in the first place.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
why would we continue importing oil

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for transportation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
if we can use electricity instead?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Remember,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
this is the country

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
where electricity comes from

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
water in our rivers,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
heat from volcanoes,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
wind turbines, solar panels,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
biowaste.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Abolishing fossil fuels means[br]disrupting our transportation system

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so that we can power our cars,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
buses, and trains, with electricity

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
instead of dirty energy.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And transportation, let me tell you,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
has become an existential issue[br]for us Costa Ricans,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because the model we have[br]is not working for us.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's hurting people,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
it's hurting companies,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and it's hurting our health.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because when policies[br]and infrastructure fails,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
this is what happens on a daily basis.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Two hours in the morning,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
two hours in the evening.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I don't understand why[br]we have to accept this as normal.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's offensive

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to have to waste our time like this[br]every single day.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And this highway is actually quite good[br]compared to what you see

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in other countries[br]where traffic is exploding.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
You know, Costa Ricans[br]call this "presa."

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Presa means "imprisoned."

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And people are turning violent

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in a country that is otherwise[br]happy in [???].

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's happening.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So a lot is at stake.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The good news

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is that when we talk about[br]clean transportation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and electric mobility,[br]we're not talking about some

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
distant utopia out there.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're talking about electric mobility[br]that is happening today.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By 2022, electric cars[br]and conventional cars

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are expected to cost the same,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and cities are already trying[br]electric buses,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and these really cool creatures

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are saving money,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and they reduce pollution.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So if we want to get rid[br]of oil-based transportation, we can,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because we have options now[br]that we didn't have before.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's really exciting.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But of course,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
some get very uncomfortable

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
with this idea,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and they will come and they will tell you

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that the world is stuck with oil,[br]and so is Costa Rica, so get real.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That's what they tell you.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And you know what the answer[br]to that argument is?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That in 1948, we didn't say[br]the world is stuck with armies,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so let's keep our army too.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
No, we made a very brave choice,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that choice made the whole difference.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So it's time for this generation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to be brave again

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and abolish fossil fuels for good.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I'll give you three reasons[br]why we have to do this.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
First,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
our model of transportation[br]and urbanization is broken,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so this is the best moment

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to really find our urban[br]and mobility future.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We don't want cities[br]that are built for cars.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We want cities for people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
where we can walk and we can use bikes.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And we want public transportation,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
lots of it,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
public transportation[br]that is clean and dignifying.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because if we continue adding[br]fleets of conventional cars,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
our cities will become unbearable.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Second, we have to change,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but incremental change is not[br]going to be sufficient.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We need transformational change.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And there are some incremental projects[br]in my country,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and I am the first one to celebrate them.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But let's not kid ourselves.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're not talking about ending up[br]with really beautiful electric cars here

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and a few electric buses there

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
while we keep investing in the same kind[br]of infrastructure, more cars, more roads,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
more oil.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're talking about[br]breaking free from oil,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and you cannot get there[br]through incrementalism.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Third, and you know this one,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the world is hungry for inspiration.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It craves stories of success

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in dealing with complex issues,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
especially in developing countries.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So I believe Costa Rica[br]can be an inspiration to others,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
as we did last year when we disclosed

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that for so many days,[br]we were not using any fossil fuels

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in order to generate[br]all our electricity.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The news went viral around the world.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Also, and this makes me extremely proud,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
a Costa Rican woman,[br]Christiana Figueres,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
played a decisive role in the negotiations[br]of the Paris climate agreement.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So we have to protect that legacy[br]and be an example.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So what comes next?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The people.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
How do we get people to own this?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
How do we get people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to believe that it's possible

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to build a society without fossil fuels?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
A lot of work from[br]the ground up is needed.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That is why, in 2014,[br]we created Costa Rica Limpia

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Limpia means "clean,"

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
because we want to empower[br]and we want to inspire citizens.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
If citizens don't get engaged,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
clean transportation decisions[br]will be brought down by endless,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and I mean endless,[br]technical discussions,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and by avalanches of lobbying[br]by various established interests.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
One thing to be a green country[br]powered by renewables

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is already part of our story.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We should not let anybody[br]take that away from us.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Last year, we brought people[br]from our seven provinces

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to talk about climate change[br]in terms that matter to them,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and we also brought this year

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
another group of Costa Ricans

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to talk about renewable energy.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And you know what?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These people disagree on almost everything

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
except on renewable energy

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and clean transportation and clean air.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It brings people together,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and their key to real participation

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is to help people not to feel small.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
People feel powerless,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and they are tired of not being heard.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So what we do is concrete things,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and we translate technical issues[br]into citizen language

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to show that citizens have a role to play[br]and can play it together.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
For the first time, we're tracking[br]the promises that were made

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
on clean transportation,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and politicos know that they have[br]to deliver it,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but the tipping point will come[br]when we form coalitions --

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
citizens, companies,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
champions of public transportation --

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that will make electric mobility[br]the new normal,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
especially in a developing country.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By the time the next election comes,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I believe every candidate[br]will have to disclose where they stand

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
on the abolition of fossil fuels.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because this question[br]has to enter our mainstream politics.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I'm telling you, this is not[br]a question of climate policy

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
or environmental agenda.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's about the country that we want

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and the cities that we have

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and the cities that we have

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and who makes that choice.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Because at the end of the day,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
what we have to show

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is that development[br]with renewable energy

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
is good for the people,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for Costa Ricans that are alive today

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and especially for those[br]who haven't been born.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is our National Museum today.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's bright and peaceful,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and when you stand up in front of it,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
it's really hard to believe[br]these were military barracks

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
at the end of the '40s.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We started a new life[br]without an army in this place,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and here is where our abolition

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of fossil fuels will be announced one day,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and we will make history again.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Thank you.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(Applause)