Belize has joined a global coalition of 12 countries pledging to protect climate-resilient coral reefs, signing on to a new commitment unveiled at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France.
The initiative, led by WCS, WWF, The Nature Conservancy, and Papua New Guinea, aims to safeguard reefs most likely to withstand climate change. Signatories, including Belize, France, Indonesia, and Palau, have agreed to integrate reef protection into national climate and biodiversity strategies, reduce local threats, and prioritise community-led conservation.
Prime Minister John Briceño addressed the conference, saying, “As a small developing nation, our valiant conservation efforts alone can’t shield our oceans. The overarching, ever-reaching impacts of rising seas, warming temperatures and extreme weather of climate change dwarfs our actions. We need concerted, coordinated global action to protect our oceans for the benefit of generations to come.”
The pledge is supported by cutting-edge science, including WCS’s upcoming “50 Reefs+” analysis, and early backing from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Global Environment Facility.