June 7, 2024. The accelerated implementation of artificial intelligence, the growing climate crisis and deep social inequalities are some of the current issues of concern that must be discussed to ensure a future with inclusion, development and sustainability. The Costa Rica Meeting, in its eleventh edition, brought together important personalities from the professional, technical and political spheres of various institutions and companies.

Roberto Artavia, president of VIVA Idea and of the board of directors of INCAE Business School, kicked off the Encuentro Costa Rica with a presentation that addressed the need to move towards multidimensional sustainability models. In his speech, Artavia pointed out the complex regional and global contexts we are currently facing, highlighting the importance of adapting to rapid technological and social changes.

Artavia underscored the impact of the fourth industrial revolution and the accelerating race to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence. He highlighted how this technology can be both a risk and an unprecedented driver of productivity. “Artificial intelligence is the greatest risk as well as the greatest driver of productivity that we have as a society,” he said. In addition, he mentioned the challenges facing representative democracies globally and regionally, along with increasing social polarization.

During his speech, Artavia emphasized the seriousness of current international and regional conflicts. He mentioned the situation in Mexico, where the war on drugs has resulted in more than 400,000 civilian deaths, and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza that generate impacts beyond that region. In addition, he made specific reference to Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, highlighting his leadership model as an example of autocracy in the region that can spur other similar ones.

Artavia also addressed the palpable effects of climate change, stating that we no longer need “the high beams to see the effects of climate change”. The climate crisis, according to Artavia, is evident and requires immediate attention. He also mentioned how the new way of communicating and misinformation have become decisive factors in today’s society, affecting the way we inform ourselves and make decisions.

In the Costa Rican context, Artavia spoke about the significant inequality between the central valley, with higher rates of social progress, and the coasts and borders, which face less development. He highlighted the crisis in education and violence, pointing out serious problems in water management and access to health services. In addition, he mentioned the reduction of freedom of the press and other fundamental freedoms, underscoring how the educational and labor exclusion of youth and children makes them vulnerable.

Costa Rica, despite its historic environmental achievements such as reforestation and land protection, now faces a number of challenges. Artavia pointed to the current controversy over trawling, the reduction of budgets for key environmental institutions, and proposed hydrocarbon exploration. These actions, according to him, are taking the country in the wrong direction and reflect on its position in international indices of environmental performance and ocean sustainability.

Costa Rica ranks 68th in the global environmental performance index and 61st in the ocean sustainability index. In Latin America, the country ranks 15th, indicating that it is not even in the top third of countries in the region. “The country brand seems to be turning gray,” he commented, referring to the international perception of Costa Rica and its ‘Esencial Costa Rica’ country brand that is always presented in green colors.

In terms of sustainable development goals, Artavia expressed concern about the country’s performance, which ranks 63rd globally. Of the 17 areas evaluated, eight show profound weaknesses and four have significant weaknesses, while only three areas show sufficiency without reaching the proposed goals.

In production and competitiveness, Costa Rica is at the bottom of the OECD, well below the average and far from the leading countries of this organization.

He concluded his presentation by calling for a national discussion on climate adaptation, closing social and ethical gaps in the application of artificial intelligence. However, he regretted that, instead of focusing on these critical issues, the national debate is centered on issues such as the weakening of the comptroller’s office, freedom of the press and the construction of highways, issues that should already be overcome.

“Crises are normally seen with the high beams, but we no longer need the high beams to see the effects of climate change,” reiterated Artavia, calling for immediate action to take advantage of Costa Rica’s potential and avoid an even greater drop in social, environmental and productive indices. The exchange of ideas, information and projection towards the future continued during a full day of conversations, presentations and exchanges at the Costa Rica Meeting, held for the eleventh consecutive year.