The ISO 14 001 Environmental Management System Applied at the Miravalles Geothermal Field.

Abstract

There is no doubt about the need of a country of executing projects intended to invigorate its economy and improve their inhabitants' standard of living. The conservation of the environment cannot be sought sacrificing the development and well-being of a nation, since the conservation alone doesn't contribute to reduce poverty. For this reason the concept of sustainable development looks for a balance between development and environmental conservation. The present document shows the importance of the environmental administration systems based on the ISO 14000 family of standards on environmental management, as a tool to achieve the development of geothermal projects under the concept of sustainable development. It is showed how the main aspects of this standard have been applied in Miravalles during the initial phases of its implementation, and which are the benefits expected in the search for strengthening the environmental sustainability of the field and for the future development of new fields in Costa Rica.