AGP Executive Report

Wildlife & Conservation: Costa Rica is moving to cut roadkill by requiring wildlife crossings for road projects that disrupt habitat, with the National Environmental Technical Secretariat reviewing plans and citizen science data helping identify where bridges are needed. Biodiversity & Climate: A new report warns Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest is “dying of thirst” as warmer conditions lift the cloud base, reducing mist for epiphytes that hold moisture. Tech & Society: Costa Rica’s drug violence surge is drawing international alarm, with the Wall Street Journal arguing the spike in homicides is straining the political system and escalating conflict between the executive and the judiciary. AI & Business: Colombian firm Muto Studio is expanding U.S. services, pitching custom software, AI automation, and digital transformation—building on work across Costa Rica and the region. Research & Nature: Osa Conservation translocated 13 white-lipped peccaries to Piedras Blancas National Park to restore a threatened ecosystem role, with more moves planned this year. Global Spotlight: The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 released a sneak peek from a record 65,000+ entries ahead of its October 16 London exhibition.

Wildlife & Infrastructure: Costa Rica lawmakers approved a rule requiring wildlife crossings for roads when projects disrupt habitat connectivity and threaten animals, with the National Environmental Technical Secretariat reviewing plans early; existing roads could also face new crossings if new data shows they’re needed. Conservation & Rewilding: Osa Conservation moved 13 white-lipped peccaries to Piedras Blancas National Park after hunters wiped them out about 18 years ago, using a long, monitored soft-release to rebuild ecosystem roles. Climate Impact on Biodiversity: A PBS investigation highlights Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest “dying of thirst,” as warming lifts the cloud base and reduces mist moisture that epiphytes rely on. Tech & AI in Business: Colombian firm Muto Studio is expanding U.S. software development and AI automation services, including workflow automation and AI customer experiences. Science & Policy: Costa Rica’s Supreme Court president Orlando Aguirre won’t seek a new term, amid escalating tensions between the judiciary and President Laura Fernández’s government.

AI & Hiring: Blackbaud opened a second Hyderabad office to expand AI, cloud, and customer operations, adding capacity for more hiring. Energy Tech Funding: Colombian Bia Energy raised US$18.5M to scale solar generation and launch more software for energy trading and management. Costa Rica Climate Science: Smithsonian-led work suggests hotter development temperatures can dull the blue of Morpho butterflies, with survival impacts tied to warming. Earthquakes & Geology: UCR seismologists linked recent Central Valley quakes near Coronado to the Río Sucio fault system, pointing to a known fault behavior. Health Systems Risk: CCSS auditors warn Costa Rica’s brachytherapy cancer treatment depends on one machine at Hospital México, raising disruption concerns if it fails. Wildlife & Oceans: Guides report fewer humpback whale sightings in Golfo Dulce this season, with warmer water a possible driver. Public Procurement Integrity: A Costa Rica political controversy alleges draft bills would let officials and school boards contract outside standard procurement rules. Space for Tech in Education: Costa Rica’s alliance with Google aims to bring AI into education, health, and security.

Energy & Climate Tech: Colombia’s Bia Energy just raised US$18.5M to expand solar generation and roll out more software for energy marketing, distributed generation, and energy management. Local Science: Costa Rica’s seismologists linked this week’s Coronado-area earthquakes to the Río Sucio fault system, tying the quake pattern and ground motion to a known fault network. Health Tech: Costa Rica’s CCSS warns brachytherapy for cancer depends on a single machine at Hospital México—one failure could disrupt treatment nationwide. AI & Research: A new preprint tests whether Nicoya’s blue-zone longevity leaves a measurable DNA methylation signature using a machine-learning epigenetic aging framework. Tech Policy & Governance: Costa Rica lawmakers are challenging a sweeping state-secrecy order tied to security procurement, raising concerns about transparency. Environment Watch: Golfo Dulce whale guides report fewer humpback sightings this season, with warmer water possibly shifting where whales spend their time. Regional Tech/Business: Casago completed the sale of former Vacasa markets, moving them into local franchise ownership across Costa Rica and the Caribbean.

STEM Push: Costa Rica plans to launch at least 10 new scientific high schools, with new campuses and university partnerships aimed at boosting innovation, tech, and math pathways for youth. Cancer Care Risk: Costa Rica’s public cancer system relies heavily on a single brachytherapy machine at Hospital México; auditors warn a breakdown or supply issue could disrupt cervical cancer treatment nationwide. Earthquake Science: Seismologists link recent Coronado-area quakes to the Río Sucio fault system, using clustering and ground-motion direction to explain the shaking. Conservation & Climate: Guides in Golfo Dulce report fewer humpback whale sightings this season, raising questions about warmer ocean conditions changing whale movements. Ecology in Action: Research highlights how coffee pulp and orange-peel waste can accelerate tropical forest regeneration and boost soil life—turning farm by-products into restoration tools. Tech & Business: Casago says it has completed the sale of all former Vacasa markets, moving them into local franchise ownership structures.

Earth Science: Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (UCR) has linked Monday’s Central Valley earthquakes near Coronado to the Río Sucio fault system, noting a tight quake-aftershock cluster and matching ground-motion behavior. Public Health Tech: CCSS internal auditors warn that Hospital México’s single brachytherapy machine for cervical cancer could halt treatment systemwide if it fails, after a prior breakdown in 2021 forced patients to seek care abroad. STEM Education: President Laura Fernández announced plans for at least 10 new scientific high schools, with campuses tied to public universities and a shift of some regular schools toward technical tracks. AI & Learning: A Costa Rican experiment shows capuchin monkeys using a touch screen with AI to get bananas, pointing to new ways to study animal cognition. Climate & Oceans: Guides in Golfo Dulce report fewer humpback sightings this season, with warmer water and possible movement changes suspected. Regional Tech: The Central American 5G Innovation Hackathon launches to build prototypes using Costa Rica’s 5G testbed infrastructure. Conservation & Research: Daniel Janzen’s long-running forest restoration work is highlighted, including DNA barcoding and “bioliteracy” efforts to better value Costa Rica’s biodiversity. Sustainability: A coffee-pulp venture from BAMSI alumni is turning agricultural waste into biodegradable packaging, advancing in EARTH University’s sustainability competition.

STEM Education Push: Costa Rica plans to expand STEM with at least 10 new scientific high schools, adding campuses in Heredia, Turrialba, and Nicoya and converting 50 regular schools into technical tracks. Public Health Risk: CCSS auditors warn Hospital México’s single brachytherapy machine for cervical cancer could disrupt treatment nationwide if it fails, after a prior breakdown in 2021. AI + Regional Connectivity: Costa Rica is backing a Central American 5G Innovation Hackathon using its 5G testbed, while also signing an alliance with Google to bring AI into education, health, and security. Earth & Climate Watch: Two back-to-back earthquakes (5.4 and 4.8) shook Costa Rica, and ocean reports flag record warmth plus fewer humpback sightings in Golfo Dulce. Conservation & Circular Tech: Monteverde’s cloud-forest protection story continues, while researchers highlight coffee pulp and orange-peel experiments that boost forest regeneration and soil health. Marine Discovery: Scientists report a new golden “tree” octocoral family from Costa Rica’s deep-sea seamounts.

Digital Tax Policy: Panama is debating a 7% transfer tax on platform purchases and services (Amazon, Temu, Netflix, Airbnb), with estimates of $100M+ a year—Costa Rica is cited as a model for how to structure VAT-style collection. Public Health: A growing Central American kidney disease crisis (mesoamerican nephropathy) is linked to the Pacific coast from Costa Rica to Guatemala, with researchers pointing to heat and agrochemical exposure as likely drivers. Earthquakes: Costa Rica was hit by two back-to-back quakes (5.4 and 4.8) near Cascajal, with dozens of aftershocks and reports of minor impacts. Conservation Science: Daniel Janzen’s long-running forest restoration work is highlighted, including DNA barcoding efforts to better value Costa Rica’s biodiversity. Agri-Innovation: Coffee pulp is being tested for ecological restoration and now for biodegradable packaging ventures (BAMSI/EARTH University). Urban Nature: Curridabat’s “Bosque Tacaco” pocket forest plants 1,540 native species using the Miyawaki method. STEM Education: Costa Rica plans 10 new scientific high schools and a shift of 50 regular schools toward technical tracks. Marine Discovery: Scientists report a new octocoral family from Costa Rica’s deep-sea seamounts. Tech & Society: Costa Rica’s official time standard is being modernized using atomic clocks for higher precision.

AI & Public Services: Costa Rica signed a collaboration with Google to bring AI and technology into education, health, and security as part of its digital transformation push. Education Tech: The Hummingbird program now delivers live online English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing remote specialists with in-class support using tablets and interactive tools. Regional Connectivity: A Central American 5G Innovation Hackathon is set to build prototypes using Costa Rica’s 5G testbed, linking universities, startups, and public entities. Science & Nature: UCR researchers helped identify a new octocoral family from deep-sea seamounts off Costa Rica, adding to the country’s marine biodiversity map. Urban Greening: Curridabat launched Bosque Tacaco, a pocket forest using the Miyawaki method with 1,540 native plants to boost habitat in a small urban space. Environment & Soil Science: Studies highlighted how coffee pulp and orange-peel waste can accelerate tropical forest regeneration and improve soil nutrients.

Regenerative Agriculture: Researchers in Coto Brus tested using coffee pulp to restore degraded land, reporting big gains after two years: 80% forest canopy vs. 20% in controls, taller regrowth, higher soil carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus, and fewer invasive grasses—plus practical guidance like composting first and applying in moderate, sun-dried layers. Urban Greening: Curridabat launched “Bosque Tacaco,” a pocket forest using the Miyawaki method with 1,540 native plants in a 515-square-meter site to boost biodiversity in tight urban space. AI in Public Services: Costa Rica signed a Google collaboration to bring AI and tech into education, health, and security as part of the government’s digital transformation push. Education Tech Access: The Hummingbird program expanded live online English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing remote specialists with local teachers using tablets and interactive tools. Tech for the Region: Costa Rica and partners kicked off a Central American 5G Innovation Hackathon, leveraging Costa Rica’s 5G testbed to build prototypes for real-world use cases. Science & Nature: Scientists exploring Costa Rica’s deep-sea seamounts identified a new octocoral family and species near Isla del Coco.

Regional Connectivity: Costa Rica’s PCII and MICITT are backing the Central American 5G Innovation Hackathon (Oct 5–9), using Costa Rica’s 5G Testbed to help teams build real prototypes with edge computing and IoT. AI in Public Services: President Laura Fernández signed a Google collaboration to bring AI into education, health, and security as part of Costa Rica’s digital transformation push. Rural EdTech: The MEP’s Hummingbird program is expanding live online English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing specialized remote teachers with in-class support. Urban Nature Tech: Curridabat’s Bosque Tacaco pocket forest will plant 1,540 native species using the Miyawaki method to boost biodiversity in a small urban space. Ocean Science: Researchers exploring Costa Rica’s seamounts identified a new octocoral family, Laurinqueidae, after complex genetic work. Energy & Waste: Poás Bioenergy is turning coffee pulp and pineapple crowns into syngas and other outputs, aiming to cut methane from farm waste.

AI for public services: Costa Rica signed a collaboration agreement with Google to bring AI tools into education, health, and security as part of the government’s digital transformation push. Urban nature tech: Curridabat is planting Bosque Tacaco, a “pocket forest” using the Miyawaki method with 1,540 native plants across a 515-square-meter site to boost local biodiversity. Education access: The Hummingbird program now delivers live online English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing remote specialists with in-class support from regular teachers. Marine science: Researchers identified a brand-new octocoral family near Costa Rica’s seamounts, named Laurinque elenya, after deep-sea expeditions off Isla del Coco. Ocean conservation media: A Costa Rican documentary, “Costa Rica, Cradle of Whales,” spotlights why Golfo Dulce draws whales from two hemispheres, using drones and underwater audio. Energy from waste: Poás Bioenergy is turning coffee pulp and pineapple crowns into syngas and other outputs, aiming to cut methane from farm waste while replacing fossil fuel use.

AI for public services: Costa Rica signed a collaboration agreement with Google to bring AI tools into education, health, and security as part of the Fernández administration’s digital transformation push. Pocket forest in Curridabat: The Bosque Tacaco project is planting about 1,540 native plants in a small 515-square-meter urban area using the Miyawaki method, aiming to boost biodiversity fast in built-up space. Rural English goes online: The Hummingbird program is expanding live, tech-supported English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing online specialist teachers with in-class support. Energy from coffee waste: Poás Bioenergy is using coffee pulp and pineapple crowns to produce syngas and biochar on farms, targeting methane-cutting waste management. Jobs push in the GAM: “Trabajemos 2026” brought employers together for 1,600+ vacancies across technical, operational, and professional roles. Space-minded student project: Universidad Fidélitas teams up for the Mars Challenge with Proyecto Broza, turning coffee industry waste into mission-ready resources.

AI for public services: Costa Rica signed a collaboration agreement with Google to bring AI into education, health, and security as part of the government’s digital transformation push. Rural tech in classrooms: The Hummingbird program is expanding online English lessons to 100 rural schools, using live instruction plus classroom support with tablets, computers, and interactive boards. Education + space innovation: Universidad Fidélitas students are preparing for the Mars Challenge with “Proyecto Broza,” turning coffee-industry waste into resources for space missions. Conservation tech + citizen science: A new nature app, WildQuest, blends a game like Pokemon Go with wildlife photo collection to generate digital “battle cards” for researchers. Ocean science spotlight: A Costa Rica documentary, “Costa Rica, Cradle of Whales,” premiered on Canal 7, using drones, underwater cameras, and hydrophones to explore Golfo Dulce’s whale nursery role. Energy from coffee waste: Poás Bioenergy is using coffee pulp and pineapple crowns to produce syngas and other outputs, aiming to cut methane from farm waste while replacing fossil fuel heat. Policy + governance: President Laura Fernández presented eight new bills after her first 100 days, including changes tied to pensions, public contracting oversight, and internet funding.

Education & Access: Costa Rica’s Hummingbird program is expanding live online English lessons to 100 rural schools, pairing remote specialists with in-class support to close teacher gaps. Space & Sustainability: Universidad Fidélitas students are back in the Mars Challenge with “Proyecto Broza,” turning coffee-industry waste into mission-ready resources. Ocean Science: A new Costa Rican documentary, “Costa Rica, Cradle of Whales,” spotlights Golfo Dulce as a rare breeding overlap for humpbacks from both hemispheres, using drones and underwater audio. Local Tech for Learning: San José hosts “Acts 29,” a digital evangelization gathering aimed at connecting online life with community—pushing for “fewer screens and more eye contact.” Energy & Climate Tech: Poás Bioenergy is deploying a farm-level process that converts coffee pulp and pineapple crowns into syngas for cleaner heat and reduced methane impacts. Policy & Transparency: Opposition lawmakers ask Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamber to suspend a decree that broadly classifies security-related spending and contracts as secret. Medical Tourism Push: Costa Rica rolls out a new certification for dental clinics targeting foreign patients, aiming to capture more of the high-spend international market.

Conservation & Climate: Antarctic krill fishing is back in the spotlight after rules expired and China/Russia blocked renewal, while concerns grow that faster harvesting is stressing krill near the Antarctic Peninsula—key food for penguins, seals and whales. Agri-Tech & Bioenergy (Costa Rica): Poás Bioenergy is turning coffee pulp and pineapple crowns into syngas and biochar using oxygen-limited gasification, aiming to cut methane from farm waste while giving growers cleaner thermal power. Wildlife + AI (Costa Rica): Researchers tested capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica using a touchscreen reward setup, showing they can learn to use AI-driven tasks to get bananas—bringing automated cognition tests into the field. Local Tech & Data: Costa Rica ranks second in a regional cyber resilience index, signaling growing focus on digital readiness. Health Tourism (Costa Rica): Costa Rica expands dental medical tourism with new certification requirements for clinics serving foreign patients, targeting higher-spending visitors. Energy Infrastructure (Costa Rica): Coopeguanacaste advances the Abangares solar park to strengthen grid reliability during dry season and diversify renewables. Wildlife App Idea: A new mobile app aims to make logging wildlife sightings fun by combining game-style collection with research-grade data.