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."

He said Costa Rica will also eliminate net emissions of other greenhouse gases.

Costa Rica is a leader on green issues, with protected areas like national parks and biological reserves covering more than a quarter of its territory.

The country generates 78 per cent of its energy with hydroelectric power and another 18 per cent by wind or geothermally.

It now plans to cut emissions from transport, farming and industry.