Deforestation is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystems in Costa Rica.

In 2026, the biggest threat to Costa Rica is a multifaceted intersection of climate change and organized crime. Environmentally, the country faces increasingly severe weather patterns, including prolonged droughts in the Guanacaste region and devastating flash floods on the Caribbean coast, which threaten both the biodiversity that fuels tourism and the agricultural sector (particularly coffee and bananas). Socially and economically, Costa Rica has seen a sharp rise in narcotrafficking-related violence as international cartels use the country as a primary transshipment point for cargo heading to the U.S. and Europe. This "security crisis" has led to record homicide rates and threatens the nation's long-standing reputation as a peaceful "neutral" haven. Additionally, the high cost of living and growing economic inequality are straining the social fabric of a country that famously abolished its military to invest in education and healthcare. Protecting the "Pura Vida" lifestyle now requires a delicate balance of aggressive environmental conservation and significant investment in domestic security and judicial reform to prevent the infiltration of criminal networks into the local economy.