Julian Cho Society Celebrates US$40 Million Climate Financing

Belize is unlocking nearly forty million U.S. dollars in new climate financing aimed at helping indigenous Maya communities in the south to confront the growing impacts of climate change. The funding, accessed through the Green Climate Fund, will be implemented by the Julian Cho Society. The project focuses on protecting traditional lands, strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods, improving market access for indigenous farmers and creating incentives for young people to remain in their communities. Executive Director Pablo Mis says consultations with Maya villages are already underway.

 

Pablo Mis, Executive Director, Julian Cho Society

“I am very happy to share that the Julian Cho Society and the Alcalde Association on the, on behalf of the Maya people of Southern Belize are leading the way in being the first to advance this direct financing effort to the Green Climate Fund for indigenous peoples. What is important to emphasize is that this is indigenous led. It means that it is responding to the priorities of the Maya people. In fact, I just got back from a presentation that I was making to over sixty high school teachers and one of the areas that they have flagged in their feedback to us is that a lot of climate investment is coming but that the criteria are not fit for purpose for the person who is actually in need of direct support. We wanna make sure that in the next ten years, twenty years, thirty years, Maya families can continue to be able to provide food, their own sustenance on, on their table. That has been one of the greatest strengths of the Maya Peoples of Southern Belize that we are self-sufficient. A few years ago we had some of the worst forest fires that are now making it harder for us to be able to do this. We also want to make sure that we’re accompanying families and farmers to make the transition to participate more in the market economy. So another component of the project will focus on strengthening indigenous people’s enterprises. So we anticipate that, if all goes well in 2027, we would be embarking on this very ambitious and direct investment to the most vulnerable the Maya communities of Southern Belize.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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