The Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) has moved on from awarding the country’s cleanest beaches to granting their eco-diplomatic awards this week.

The AyA awarded four embassies in Costa Rica, and three Costa Rican embassies abroad for their notable efforts in energy and water saving such as reducing paper use, recycling and solid waste management, and minimizing fossil fuel consumption and electricity use, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Embassies of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, France, Panama and the Republic of Korea in Costa Rica received the 2016 Ecological Blue Flag award.

In addition, Costa Rican Embassies in the Republic of Korea, France and in Honduras also qualified.

The award goes beyond practices within the facilities, and encourages a local committee that will take on environmental education, especially at Costa Rica’s embassies throughout the world with the goal being to “expand the ecological philosophy of Costa Rica in the respective countries,” said Foreign Minister Manuel A. González.

“These sustainable practices, to ensure that their workplaces are harmonious with the environment … contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and to the fight against climate change,” continued González, who told the recipients his ministry was reaching out to all diplomatic missions abroad to encourage environmental awareness and actions.

González congratulated the Embassies of Korea, France, The Netherlands and Panama for achieving the recognition, and invited all embassies in Costa Rica to join in the ecological accreditation process in which nine participated in this most recent process.