Environmental Problems

Both Russia and Costa Rica have problems with deforestation and are both trying to counteract this issue. Russia is trying to create undisturbed forests and national reserves so the extensive logging will stop. In 1996, Costa Rica passed a ban on the razing of mature forests. This helped significantly with the deforestation in Costa Rica and has preserved many places. Both Russia and Costa Rica also have major problems with poachers. "Adequate funding for park rangers and other personnel is lacking, however, and poaching (illegal hunting) of endangered animals such as the Siberian tiger has increased as a result.", as stated by Naturvern about Russia. This shows how the lack of help to create nation reserves are also increasing the ability to poach in Russia. In Costa Rica illegal shark finning occurs and "Many coastal residents also raid the nests of endangered leatherback sea turtles and sell the eggs as a delicacy.", per Azoclean. Costa Rica is considered among the most progressive nation on Earth with respect to climate change. Costa Rica marked a major clean technology milestone in 2015 when it was powered for the first 75 days of that year by renewable energy. Russia has problems with nuclear waste disposal as well.  According to Naturvern, "Nuclear reactors and wastes were dumped into the Barents and Kara seas of the far north, and in far eastern Siberia. Dumping of nuclear wastes in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) continued until 1993." This shows how Russia is struggling to dispose of nuclear waste and it is causing an environmental issue within the area it is being dumped. Air pollution is also a major problem in Russia with corrisiondcotor saying, "In Moscow, for instance, automobiles cause almost 90% of air pollution, and car ownership is on the rise. Additionally, most power plants in Russia are aging and lack modern pollution control equipment, resulting in large amounts of toxic emissions and waste. Several major cities are threatened by these problems, as are delicate ecosystems." This shows how air pollution is a major problem in Russia compared to Costa Rica where it is a minor problem.

 As shown by paxnatura, the deforestation in Costa Rica after the ban on the razing of mature forests increased the forest cover of Costa Rica again and it steadily increasing. The second chart, provided by globalforestwatch, shows how Russia is having major issues with deforestation and needs to find a solution soon or it could be detrimental.