Living in Peace and Wisdom on our Planet

Green trail-blazer Costa Rica is drawing up plans to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero before 2030, the government says.

Environment Minister Roberto Dobles says the tiny, jungle-cloaked Central American nation aims to be the first nation to offset all its carbon.

He says the country plans to clean up its fossil fuel-fired power plants, promote hybrid vehicles and increase tree planting to balance its emissions.

"The goal is to be carbon neutral," Mr Dobles told Reuters news agency on Thursday.

"We'd like to do it in the next 20 years."