Belize to receive US $97,000 for complementary climate funding

By BBN Staff: The UNDP programme, “Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean” (EnGenDER) has been working with implementing partners, stakeholders and donors over the last year to strengthen disaster risk management systems for 9 Caribbean countries and build resilience to the effects of climate change.

The EnGenDER project has approved Belize’s application to the “Offer of Complementary Funding to Government of Belize” of up to US $97,400 to implement climate resilience projects.

The World, in grappling with the current COVID19 pandemic has had a stark reminder of how disasters disproportionally affect the vulnerable.

The disease is having a particularly dramatic impact on families and communities in developing countries that have fewer resources and weaker social safety nets.

The COVID-19 economic downturn will differ from previous crises, as many of the sectors overexposed to the collapse in economic activity, such as tourism, absorb a sizeable share of female employment.

This work is happening at a variety of levels, from improving the central government’s ability to build strategies for inclusive approaches to policymaking to build resilience; to strengthening regional systems for planning and recovery from natural disasters; to community level interventions to ensure the vulnerable have what they need to so that that adaptation and mitigation actions in key livelihood sectors, such as agriculture, consider vulnerable persons.

Belize, a small open economy heavily dependent on its natural resource base continues to be ranked amongst those countries most vulnerable to climate change. Nowhere is this more evident than on the sustained losses recorded within the country’s agriculture sector, which underpins the national economy.

In 2019, severe drought conditions resulted in a contraction of national GDP by almost 3%, as production systems were compromised.

The expectation of a continuous assault of climate change on Belize’s productive sectors emphasizes the need for national adaptation and mitigation planning as well as access to international climate financing sources to ensure the best outcome for the country as it manages the risks to climate change.

“Small island developing states like Belize are disproportionately impacted by climate change with vulnerable populations including women being the most affected. Aligned with the national priorities, the EnGenDER project will complement the Government’s efforts to enhance resilience to climate change and natural disasters by leveraging the country’s access to climate financing with particular focus on those at risk of being left behind.” Denise Antonio, Resident Representative, UNDP Belize.

The complementary funding to the Government of Belize will assist in scaling-up efforts to identify social barriers impeding adaptation efforts in selected coastal communities in southern Belize.

Project activities will allow for the identification of impacts and potential response options beyond the physical and environmental realm. This initiative is one step in ensuring that actions that seemed impossible yesterday are possible today and could be inevitable tomorrow.

The current crisis is evidence that humanity can make the paradigm changes needed for a sustainable future.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.

© 2020, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.