• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Panama
      • Portugal
      • Colombia
      • Northern Cyprus
      • Belize
      • Spain
      • Mexico
      • France
      • Indonesia
      • Vietnam
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result
Home In Focus: Panama

Eco-Friendly Panama: What Panama Is Doing To Become Sustainable

Panama's Going Green— 4 Ways Panama Is Becoming More Eco-Friendly In Real Time

Sophia Titley by Sophia Titley
May 14, 2021
in In Focus: Panama, Panama
0 0
0
Skyscrapers with palm trees and pandanus plants in foreground, Panama City, Panama

Alamy/Seaphotoart

234
SHARES
3.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Panama may not be known as a global environmental steward… especially when compared with its neighbor to the west, Costa Rica.

Recently, though, some good news for the natural world has come out of the isthmus…

Panama Canal To Be Carbon Neutral By 2030

Ship passing through miraflores lock on the Panama Canal
Image Source: istock/sphraner

The Panama Canal, simply by existing, helps curb carbon dioxide emissions. By transiting the 51-mile canal, ships avoid traveling the extra 9,000 miles that would be required if they were to go all the way around the southern tip of South America.

In 2020, ships avoided emitting 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide just by using the Panama Canal… After taking a hit during March and June last year when manufacturing and consumer markets were shut down, the canal is now back at pre-pandemic traffic levels.

The long-term operationality of the canal is key to the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On April 26, the Panama Canal Authority announced plans to enhance the canal’s long-term viability as well as reduce its environmental impact. It aims to have the canal be carbon neutral by 2030.

Steps toward making the canal carbon neutral have already been taken… The Canal Authority has been tracking its carbon footprint since 2013, but in 2017, this became much more effective with the launch of the Emissions Calculator—a tool for monitoring the carbon emissions of vessels and the canal itself.

Its latest efforts include trialing electric vehicles to test whether the entire fleet can reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Other aspects of its plan include the use of tugboats that aren’t fossil fuel reliant and a switch to renewable energy across all projects and facilities.

Panama Plans To Reforest 1 Million Hectares By 2050

Panama is one of Central America’s most densely forested countries, with 65% of its land area covered by rain forest. Since 2012, it has been losing about 8,000 hectares of forest per year due to illegal logging driven by agriculture…

But the country is now reaffirming its commitment to tackle deforestation through a variety of measures.

In 2014, it joined Alianza por el Millón, a reforestation effort that aims to reduce deforestation, protect water resources, improve agricultural productivity, conserve biodiversity, and mitigate climate change. In 2016, it joined Initiative 20×20, through which it pledges to plant 1 million hectares by 2050.

The government is addressing illegal deforestation by increasing the use of drones and satellite images to better monitor for illegal logging. It has suspended logging permits for the past year and a half and has made it more difficult for businesses to receive state loans if they are involved in illegal land and forest use.

Panama City To Double Trees Planted This Rainy Season

The only major urban center in the country, Panama City, is also being targeted for reforestation. Groups like the Greenway Reforestation Program (GRP) plan on doubling the number of trees that will be planted in Panama City’s 26 townships this rainy season.

The program is focusing on the city’s avenues and parks and tasking the community boards of each township with the responsibility of caring for the planted trees.

Panama City is pushing always for growth, and it has been in a state of expansion for many years. Signs of development are ever-present: construction sites, traffic, crowds… In the sea of cement and steel, it’s easy to forget that this is the only capital city in the world that has a rain forest within its limits.

The fact that programs like GRP exist is promising, as it shows that the city is including “greenficiation” as a key component in its development. The benefits of green spaces in city centers are well-documented: They clean polluted air, reduce noise pollution, and have a localized cooling effect on the climate.

Green spaces also improve the physical and mental health of city residents, promoting exercise, reducing morbidity and mortality, and alleviating stress. This, in turn, reduces strain on the city’s public services, like health care.

Parks also provide safe spaces for the city’s natural life, helping to maintain local biodiversity… and in Panama City, that biodiversity is astounding. If you’ve ever been to Parque Natural Metropolitano and seen the city-dwelling sloths, you’ll know this to be true.

Though Panama City is constantly growing, it has a good number of green spaces already. Aside from Parque Natural Metropolitano, well-loved and well-used green spaces include Parque Omar, Parque Clayton, Parque Andrés Bello, and the Cinta Costera.

Efforts to make Panama City more green have already begun…

Seedlings have been planted along certain stretches of Ricardo J. Alfaro Road, otherwise known as Tumba Muerto. Some 975 seedlings of tree species, like flamboyant, guayacán, and golden rain, have been acquired by the GRP and are ready to be planted this rainy season.

30% Reduction In Gas-Fueled Car Reliance In Next 10 Years

Transportation is one of Panama’s worst offenders when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for almost half of the country’s emissions. Motor vehicle use is high in Panama, with 171 motor vehicles per 1,000 people. In 2019, the country emitted some 12 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Following through on commitments made during the Paris Agreement in 2015, it aims to reduce reliance on gas-fueled cars by 30% in the next 10 years. It launched the National Electric Mobility Strategy to initiate public transportation’s switch to electric power. It wants a 35% increase in the number of electric buses on Panama’s roads by 2030.

Two electric buses are already making the rounds on Panama City’s streets and are proving to be quieter, more efficient, and cleaner than gas-fueled buses. Last year, MiBus (which operates the city’s Metrobús line) canceled an order of 160 new diesel buses and instead bought 195 electric buses from BYD.

A fleet of 1,500 electric-powered taxis was recently commissioned for the city of Colón, also from BYD. Consumer markets also show increased interest in smaller cars and hybrids. In Panama City, the first electric vehicle recharging station in the country was installed at Alta Plaza Mall in May 2019.

Panama will also increase its use of renewable energy over coming decades… Currently, less than 10% of the private sector’s energy comes from wind and solar and about 70% from hydro. The goal is to get 95% of Panama’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2050.

Sophia Titley
Panama Insider

Tags: 'panama city''reforestation'Carbon NeutralEco-Friendlyeco-friendly developmentsGoing GreenPanamaPanama Canal
Share95Tweet58
Sophia Titley

Sophia Titley

For Sophia Titley, home is a subjective concept. She was born in Singapore but grew up in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia… and has since lived in Canada, Spain, Colombia, and, most recently, Panama. She studied political science and Spanish at the University of British Columbia, and in her free time enjoys trying new recipes, playing soccer, and salsa dancing.

Related Posts

Panama City, Panama
Panama

Why Panama City Continues To Be A Great Place To Invest

by Lief Simon
March 2, 2023
0

Imagine a country that uses the very same currency you do now... A business hub that's at the center of...

Read more
Overview of Coronado Beach near Panama City, Panama

Coronado, Panama

February 27, 2023
Carnaval of Las Tablas, Panama

Carnivals In Panama As Told By Locals

February 21, 2023
Horizontal view of coast and beach of Isla Taboga, Panama City, Panama

Cerrito Tropical In Taboga, Panama: An Expat’s Success Story

February 16, 2023
Life In Panama Is Not What You Think It Is… For Better Or Worse

Life In Panama Is Not What You Think It Is… For Better Or Worse

February 14, 2023
Panama, Boquete, villa with lush tropical garden in the jungle among the volcanic hills

Living In Boquete, Panama, Is Living Abroad On Easy Mode

February 13, 2023
Palm trees, sea and houses in Isla Grande shore. Colon province, Panama 

A Beach Adventure In Panama To Start 2023

January 5, 2023

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas ...

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!

​​Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our FREE REPORT - 101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.
 

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2023

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2023 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Download your FREE report on

The Best Places To Retire In 2023

New Year, New You, New Life Overseas

Sign up for FREE and learn how to live the good life on a modest budget, find bargain property, and more. Plus, check out our free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE.

RETIRE OVERSEAS AND LIVE LIKE ROYALTY

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​​PANAMA and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: ​Panama ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​​101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.