This report covers the technical assessment of the voluntary submission of Costa Rica on its proposed forest reference emission level (FREL)/forest reference level (FRL) in accordance with decision 13/CP.19 and in the context of results-based payments. The FREL/FRL proposed by Costa Rica covers the activities reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, which are among the activities included in paragraph 70 of decision 1/CP.16.

For its submission, Costa Rica developed a national FREL/FRL. The FREL/FRL presented in the original submission, based on the reference period 2010–2019, corresponds to –592,127 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. As a result of the facilitative process during the technical assessment, the FREL/FRL was modified to 76,938 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

The assessment team notes that the data and information used by Costa Rica in constructing its FREL/FRL are transparent, complete and in overall accordance with the guidelines contained in the annex to decision 12/CP.17. This report contains information on the assessed FREL/FRL and a few areas identified by the assessment team for future technical improvement in accordance with the provisions on the scope of the technical assessment contained in the annex to decision 13/CP.19.