Belize Among Most Aggressive In Pursuit of Climate Funds

Belize is earning regional praise for its strong push for climate financing, with the Green Climate Fund calling it one of the Caribbean’s most active countries. GCF representative Candace Gabriel says Belize has moved from plans to action, rolling out real adaptation projects and even supporting Indigenous groups to manage climate funds themselves. That momentum is clear in the sugar belt too, where partners launched the multi‑million‑dollar BACSuF project to help northern cane farmers withstand climate impacts. Gabriel says Belize’s leadership is now setting the pace for the region.

 

Candace Leung Woo-Gabriel, Regional Focal Point, Green Climate Fund

“Belize has been quite active with the GCF and we have been very supportive. In terms of farming, this is just one of two. But this one is unique because it is for sugarcane farmers in Belize. there is another farming project that just finished as well, market mechanism for farming in different areas of north, central and south Belize. We have some other projects that we are working with the government on with other agencies and we hope that that can come into fruition. And that’s part of our purpose here and our mission in Belize is to listen to all the stakeholder, especially the country because all project has to be country led so the government is our key stakeholder.”

 

Shane Williams

“I understand there may be a project in the pipeline for the indigenous people. Can you speak about that?”

 

Candace Leung Woo-Gabriel

“Well I can’t speak in details about it but yes, as the project lead on that initiative, the concept note was endorsed. So right now that is another reason why we are. We are going to the community tomorrow to hear the community, see the sight, assess what the ideas are for the projects and then we will working closely with the Five C’s and the Julian Cho Society on how they will building on the funding proposals to be submitted to us.”

 

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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