Transitioning to an urban green economy and delivering global environmental benefits To achieve decarbonization in the Great Metropolitan Area (GAM) through fiscal and policy reform and sustainable integrated urban planning Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. 1. The socioeconomic benefits to be delivered by the project at the national level consist of enhancing capacity of staff from national public institutions (e.g., MIVAH, MINAE, INVU, MOPT, AyA, DCC, and SINAC) and 20 municipalities for implementing structural environmental and financial policy reforms, sustainable integrated urban planning, and the delivery of GEBs, among other topics. This will benefit 1,200 people (30% women) including managers, technicians and local decision-makers, legislative advisors, and officials. Through an awareness-raising and communication strategy decision-makers and the public will become aware about the objectives and desired effects of a reform in fiscal legislation proposed by the project, and which will contribute to improve their quality of life by building resilience to climate change through decarbonization and the sound management of solid waste, fecal sludge, and wastewater while generating global environmental benefits. Restoration actions in critical urban areas in the GAM will build resilience of vulnerable urban populations, especially of those that live in areas prone to landslides, and will contribute to the mitigation of climate change, at the same time that contribute to enhancing ecosystem connectivity and improving habitat for urban biodiversity. The quality of the urban residents of the GAM will also improve through investments in sustainable mobility such as bike-friendly bridges, cycle paths, shared-use paths, pedestrian routes with green areas, and improvements in green sidewalks; and through a pilot experience to improve water quality in the upper portion of two polluted urban watersheds within the GAM based on the "Clean Rivers: National Strategy for the Recovery of Urban Watersheds 2020-2030, an initiative that contributes to the improvement of ecosystems and the quality of life of people living around urban watersheds and seeks the sustainability of water resources, development of knowledge, and promotes the creation of a culture of water through social participation.  2. At the local level, micro- and small businesses, as well as community associative arrangements will benefit from new municipal financial instruments to establish new ventures for the use and transformation of solid (plastic and organic) and liquid waste, as well as sustainable mobility, including training on how to start a business and how to run it successfully. In addition, at least three bio-business models formed from PPPs, micro and small businesses, and associations at the community level with a gender focus will be established that will the contribute to the maintenance of urban ecosystem services and the restoration of IUBCs, and management of solid waste and waste water. To ensure the success of the bio-business models, participants will benefit from a technical assistance program that will ensure it’s financing. It expected that 500 new green jobs with gender equality in the GAM will result from innovative financing and business models. Through knowledge management activities and products, including the operationalization of a national platform for exchanging information about issues related to sustainable cities and a learning and communication strategy between cities implemented through the SCIP GP 500 (50% women, 50% men), urban professionals in Costa Rica, and municipal technicians and local decision-makers (among others will benefit. In total, the project will directly benefit 2,134,932 people (1,067,466 women, 1,067,466 men) residing in 20 municipalities in the GAM.