Oreamuno: Climate Action from the Ground Up

Oreamuno, a predominantly agricultural canton in Costa Rica’s Cartago province, is advancing a practical, community-centred climate agenda that strengthens resilience, safeguards ecosystems, and promotes a circular, low-waste local economy.

Through integrated actions in risk management, sustainable agriculture, pollinator protection, waste treatment, and corporate responsibility, the municipality has built a model of climate governance rooted in local collaboration, behavioural change, and territorial stewardship.

These initiatives jointly address erosion, flooding, biodiversity loss, and waste generation while enhancing food security, sustainable livelihoods, and community capacity.

Oreamuno’s climate implementation is structured around five programmatic action areas, each with concrete, replicable measures.

1. Risk Management - “Caminos Verdes Inteligentes – Smart Green Paths”

• Community work with farmers and landowners to prevent erosion and runoff.
• Construction of canales de conservación (conservation channels) along high-risk slopes. 
• Installation of retention and sedimentation boxes to slow runoff and retain fertile soil.
• Creation of absorption lagoons in key flood-prone zones, improving the canton’s overall resilience.

2. Strengthening the Agricultural Sector - Oficina de Agricultura (Agricultural Office)

• Support to three model farms where sustainable practices are demonstrated.
• Training and field accompaniment for 70+ producers on soil health, safe agrochemical use, circular practices and financial resilience.
• Reforestation efforts with 2,000 trees planted in agricultural and water-protection areas.
• Collection and safe handling of agrochemical containers (>1,000 kg recovered).

3. Food Security - Protection of Pollinators

• Municipal declaration naming Oreamuno “Amigo de las Abejas – Friend of Bees”.
• Installation of bee hotels, hives, pollinator gardens and protective mesh in farms, schools and parks.
• Continuous education for students, communities and businesses on pollinator conservation and pesticide management.

4. Solid Waste Treatment - Composting & Differentiated Collection

• Three composting systems operating: household, commercial and agricultural.
• Processing of 600-800 kg/week of organic waste from San Rafael farmers’ market.
• 474 domestic composters installed, generating 11 tonnes of compost.
• Strengthening of the Municipal Collection Centre, which receives all recyclable materials.
• Weekly differentiated waste collection (Fridays) with established routes.
• Triple-wash programme for agricultural containers.

5. Stakeholder Responsibility - EcoPatente

• Certification programme engaging 40 businesses.
• Five certification “stars”: composting, reduced electricity/water use, pollinator protection, waste valorisation, and glass recycling.
• Monitoring of sustainability actions and municipal recognition, with incentives under development (discount on commercial licence).

Oreamuno’s climate work relies on strong multi-actor collaboration that amplifies municipal capacity.

• Local businesses and commercial establishments
• Development Associations across the canton
• Environmental collective Tatiskú
• ASADAS (community water management associations)
• Cantonal Youth Committee
• School education boards
• Public universities: ITCR, UCR, UNA
• Private universities (UAM)

Communication efforts prioritise education, behavioural change and community mobilisation.

• Workshops for farmers on sustainable practices
• Training sessions for schools and local businesses
• Citizen campaigns on pollinator protection and proper agrochemical use
• Public recognition events for EcoPatente businesses
• Awareness on differentiated collection and composting

The programme is funded through municipal budgets, community collaboration, and partner support.

• Approx. USD 150,000 total (estimate for cumulative multi-year investments), including:
  • Municipal infrastructure works (retention boxes, absorption ponds)
  • Procurement of 474 composters
  • Investment in the Municipal Collection Centre
  • Materials for pollinator protection (mesh, hives, bee hotels)
  • Support for model farms and agricultural training
• In-kind contributions from farmers, schools and businesses (labour, land, materials).

The combined climate actions have produced measurable environmental, social and governance improvements.

• Reduced flooding and erosion in recurrent risk points
• Stronger agricultural resilience and reduced agrochemical impacts
• Growth in biodiversity-supportive landscapes
• Substantial reduction of organic waste entering landfills
• Greater community awareness and corporate engagement
• Establishment of a circular economy model at household and agricultural levels

Implementation faced practical and structural challenges.

• Limited municipal budget requiring phased implementation
• Need for continuous behaviour change among residents and farmers
• Institutional coordination demands across diverse actors
• Waste separation compliance still inconsistent in some districts
• Need to scale monitoring systems to track long-term performance

Oreamuno demonstrates that small and mid-sized rural municipalities can deliver high-impact climate action through integrated, low-cost, community-based interventions. The model is highly replicable because it builds on simple technologies (e.g., composters, erosion channels, bee hotels), participatory processes, and partnerships with farmers, schools and businesses.

Key lessons include:

• Start with practical, visible measures that build trust.
• Leverage existing social networks (ASADAS, youth groups, development associations).
• Combine technical support with incentives (e.g., EcoPatente).
• Prioritise education and co-responsibility to sustain results.

Oreamuno’s approach offers a compelling blueprint for rural territories seeking to enhance resilience, reduce emissions, and shift towards a circular, biodiversity-positive economy.

• Municipality of Oreamuno website
• GCoM Latin America: Costa Rica
• Ministry of Environment & Energy (Costa Rica)

Environment and Climate Commission
Municipality of Oreamuno
info@oreamuno.go.cr
https://www.oreamuno.go.cr