Belize Confronts Climate Change
Mangroves in Belize could be the key to resolving the carbon emission issue, with the trees holding around 25.7 million metric tons of carbon.
Women on the Forefront
In Belize, the fight against climate change is of the utmost importance due to the increased vulnerability of climatic events. However, the government alongside citizens are working together to alleviate and potentially reverse the effects of global warming.
With this though, the climate crisis disproportionately affects rural communities, as their location is isolated from centers of climate action. Three indigenous women, Christina, Florentina, and Miriam Choc are solar engineers installing solar energy systems in rural neighborhoods of Belize to change this narrative.
These powerful leaders have been working in this sector for well over five years now, with their work specializing in solar power renewability. Receiving their training from Barefoot College in India, these women have trained villages across the country to provide renewable energy access across Belize. Florentina Choc trained people in her village to set up over 68 solar energy systems, giving over 350 villagers in her community reliable and clean electricity.
In speaking of women’s importance in the climate change narrative, the national coordinator for the UNDP Small Grants Project, Belize, Leonel Requena states that women are breaking the glass ceiling,
“Women are prominent leaders in Belize since they promote the sustainable development program, in addition to promoting harmony between nature and people for the benefit of both.”
With the introduction of solar power to rural villages in Belize, it is estimated that over 6.5 tons of carbon emissions have been depleted from the atmosphere.
Blue Carbon in Belize
Belize’s wildlife and surrounding environment is incredibly rich, and with this, it has created an abundance of a substance that is known as blue carbon.
Blue carbon is carbon that is stored in marine and coastal ecosystems, and it is important for managing ecosystems and preserving seagrass, mangroves, and other ocean-related environments.
In a recent study done by the Smithsonian Institute, the first estimated carbon stocks were conducted and measured by the Belize Blue Carbon Project, a team that is working to build local capacity and spread awareness of the blue carbon available in these mangroves. The measurements are key to further addressing the effects of climate change in the country.
The data can be further used in policy implementation. Coastal ecologist Lisa Beers of Silvestrum Climate Associates highlights its value,
“This country-level carbon stock assessment is essential for providing policy-relevant values that reflect the diversity of mangrove ecosystems found along the coasts and islands of Belize.”
The framework for monitoring and protecting blue carbon mangroves on an international scale has been created and there have been attempts to formalize it.
One step is the Blue Carbon Initiative, a cooperation between several multilateral conservation and oceanic organizations. The main goal in this agreement is to mitigate climate change by restoring and sustaining mangroves and marine grasses.
For Belize specifically, there are calls for the inclusion of mangroves in environmental protection policy. An example of this being included in the National Determined Contribution, which is a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, as a part of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The current worldwide levels of blue carbon found in mangroves is around 12 million metric tons.
Protecting the Coral Reefs
One of the most important aspects of Belize’s environment is their abundant coral reefs. This particular type of ecosystem is crucial to the continuation and strengthening of the country’s biodiversity.
A development that has been key in protecting the reefs, is by creating marine reserves along the coastal areas. One of the oldest ones, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, has created an area to conserve the jewel of Belize, its Barrier Reef.
This particular reserve was established in 1987, in response to concerns over overfishing and unmonitored diving. Now, it welcomes over 500 visitors each day to experience all the wonders the reserve has to offer. A fascinating characteristic of this reserve is its ability to counteract the effects of climate change.
The seagrass in the reserve provides a place for species such as manatees and sea turtles to feed and live. It can also capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rain forests—an essential characteristic for curbing the climate crisis.
The conservation of this reef is thanks in part to collaborative efforts from all sides. From governments, to business, to even the local community, the network of participants only strengthens and ensures the futures of these reefs.
For tourists and residents alike, the need for the reef does not go unnoticed, as mentioned by Nadia Bood, the senior program officer for marine science and wildlife at WWF Belize. In explaining this enthusiasm, she mentions that,
“We are seeing tourists excited to go and visit the reef, to snorkel and dive the reef. We are seeing fishers come in with daily catches from the reef. It is close to the community’s heart.”
Climate Financing in Belize and the Wider Caribbean
For climate change and sustainable development matters, one of the greatest challenges countries face is financing.
In the Wider Caribbean Basin, the countries that are a part of this are highly susceptible to the climate crisis, and with this, the concept of blue bonds has arisen.
Blue Bonds, as defined by the World Bank, are used as a debt instrument issued by governments, development banks or others to raise capital from impact investors to finance marine and ocean-based projects that have positive environmental, economic and climate benefits.
In Belize specifically, blue bonds are being utilized to restructure their public debt, and allow for influxes of gains to flow into their most important industries.
Belize is no stranger to climate financing. In 2001, it was the first country in Central America to sign a subsidized “debt-for-nature” swap, which canceled $8.5 million in outstanding loans and protected 23,000 acres of its tropical rainforests.
Other partnerships with climate financing organizations have occurred in Belize and the wider Caribbean as well, for example with the Green Climate Fund. With financing from this organization, the Ministry of Economic Development of Belize worked conjointly on a project aimed at building capacity for climate resilient infrastructure and sustainable urban land management.
The Ministry of Economic Development hopes that this project is just one step towards a reduction in barriers, and an increase in climate financing, expressing that,
“Having these gaps addressed, the MED will be one step closer to strengthening its internal structures in meeting GCF’s requirements to access climate finance of up to US$50 million.”
In addition to climate financing, workshops have been conducted to mobilize said climate funds, in order to increase the pacing of funds. One new strategy that has been proposed is a climate change writeshop.
Through the writeshop, citizens and government officials alike were educated on international climate financing by experts. To close the workshop, they created a full project proposal.
The writeshop series’ goal is to create several bankable climate proposals that will expand environmental protection policies.
The Inclusion of Belize in the discussion of climate change in the Caribbean Basin
With the climate change discussion being pertinent on a global scale, there has been increased participation from the Caribbean Small Island Developing States, or SIDS in the international conversation.
For SIDs, they face unique challenges when addressing the climate crisis, due to their high risks to natural disasters and their geographic proximity to finance hubs.
An industry that has posed successes and challenges environmentally for the Caribbean, is the cruise business. While it is a source of income for thousands across the islands, it is also an area in which cruising leads to pollution and waste being dumped into the oceans.
The ISLANDS Project, a four component cooperation effort, has been utilized to support SIDS in the creation of a pathway to safely divert chemical waste from entering waters, and to provide long term management for the project.
The ISLANDS effort has been developed through partnerships between Caribbean and Pacific SIDS, two different sides of the world, who deal with the same repercussions of cruising and over-tourism.
The four components that comprise this programme, include:
Component 1: Preventing future build-up of chemicals in the SIDS environment
Component 2: Safe management and disposal of existing, historically-produced wastes posing an immediate risk to people and natural resources
Component 3: Promoting systems for future management of wastes and chemicals entering SIDS by adopting and putting into practice 3R approaches including increased recovery of resources from wastes by adopting the principles of sustainable consumption and production
Component 4: Sharing knowledge and experience across all regions to address issues common to all SIDS and to stimulate inter regional cooperation to combat major global level challenges posed by wastes such as plastics, electronics, and other major pollutants.
Cruising Sustainably: An Interview with Mr. Abil Castañeda, Director of Cruising and Capacity Development for the Belize Tourism Board
Latina Republic had the opportunity to speak to Abil Castañeda, Director of Cruising and Capacity Development for the Belize Tourism Board.
The Belize Tourism Board is the leading legislative body that governs and promotes the industry in the country.
The Belize Tourism Board is actively working towards fostering the growth of the business on a wide-scale level, and the cruising sector is just one of the multiple components committed to expansion, as well as incorporating sustainable development into the practice.
Mr. Castañeda spoke of the continued commitment to establishing stronger cruise infrastructure in the realm of sustainable development.
“In Belize, we see expanding cruise infrastructure as an area of opportunity rather than a challenge. Larger ships are being built that are created with the goal of reducing overall carbon emissions by 2050.”
With discussing the framework for sustainable tourism and protection of cultural sites, Mr. Castañeda explained that there is substantiative legislation that will further preserve Belize’s natural and historical wonders for all to enjoy in the future.
“The Belize Tourism Board has what is called the Belize Tourism Board Act, from there the Board is given the mandates to move tourism to act in a more sustainable way. Under this, there is also a Tourism Masterplan that works collaboratively with the government as well as locals to further these initiatives. There is also national legislation to establish protected areas of the environment in Belize.”
When asked about future plans of expansion for tourism across all sectors, one area of interest that Mr. Castañeda mentioned, is a stronger appreciation of the Mayan culture, and to include this in the cultural tourism sector.
“We are working towards preserving and promoting our live culture. Belize is well known for our Mayan history, however we would like to expand upon this through other cultural experiences, such as through music and entertainment.”
The Positive Impacts of Climate Work
While the effects of climate change have been felt all across Belize, mitigation efforts have not gone unnoticed on a national and international level.
For the Nationally Determined Contribution of Belize, these are some of the goals that have been accomplished in conjunction with the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Increased ambition through expanded sectoral targets
- Expanded coverage of gasses covered in targets to include N2O and Methane in AFOLU interventions
- Detail on the financing, monitoring and implementation of actions included in the NDC
With this, there has also been increased conservation projects to protect endangered species and the treasured coral reefs. Efforts have also been made to combat erosion occurring on the coastlines.
The Ministry of Sustainable Development in Belize with the UNDP has developed the EnGender Project, which cross cuts gender biases to mitigate climate change and increase disaster risk policies.
Certain additions to the project include a Water- Bowser to supply villages with clean water during a drought, capacity building initiatives to combat erosion, and refurbishment of bus sheds with solar power.
These positive impacts are just a snippet of what has been done in Belize and the Wider Caribbean to mediate climate change’s effects and work towards a more sustainable future.
Gabby Boyd | Latin American Correspondent
My name is Gabby Boyd, and I am a first-year master’s candidate at Georgetown University studying Latin American Studies with a concentration in Political Economy and Development. My interest in this region of the world stems from a love of culture and politics, and an innate curiosity to learn more about Latin America through my educational and work experiences. During my time at Latina Republic, I am working as a Latin American Correspondent, with a focus on the Andean Cone countries and Caribbean Islands. I am interested in women’s rights, sustainability, and the environment, and promoting the rights of children through advocacy. It is incredibly important that these topics are discussed in the realm of Latin America, as the voices of both women and children are crucial to understanding and improving the region on all levels.
