On February 10, 2023, the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Economic Development (MED)and its Climate Finance Unit (CFU), launched its Belize-Green Climate Fund (GCF) Country Programme. Following the launch, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO), in partnership with the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) held a National Civil Society Climate Action Forum.

 
The forum served as a beacon, calling forward Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to join a CSO Action Team. This team is being established as an informal network of CSOs, including non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to support their effective engagement in climate change processes at the national and local levels. Furthermore, it will strengthen knowledge sharing and partnerships to enhance their access to climate finance and implementation of climate adaptation and mitigation in Belize. 

This effort is being coordinated by APAMO in conjunction with the MED, and the GCF National Designated Authority (NDA) for Belize. The event demonstrated the constructive collaboration and engagement between APAMO and relevant Government authorities in undertaking national climate actions across all sectors while also helping to build climate resilience at the local level.

We are grateful for the support provided by Dr. Osmond Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of the MED and its CFU as well as the National Climate Change Office of the Ministry of Sustainable Development Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management.

 
The program featured presentations from Mr. Collin Mattis, Deputy Chief Climate Change Officer of the National Climate Change Office, Mr. Gustavo Requena of Ya’axche Conservation Trust and Ms. Lisa Carnes from Fragments of Hope on topics ranging from climate smart agroforestry to Coral Reef Restoration respectively. Subsequent to the presentations, an interactive discussion was led by Mr. Carlos Pol, Director of the CFU and Mr. Eli Romero, Project Development Officer (PACT) to discuss key opportunities & challenges for Civil Society-led Climate Action.
APAMO is thrilled to have led this event and will continue to serve as interim lead in further establishing the Climate Action Team in Belize.

 
“CSOs can play a unique and important role in achieving climate ambitions in Belize.” -CANARI