Photo: Minister Orlando Habet during our interview on Monday
SANTA ELENA, Cayo District, Mon. June 26, 2023
The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management held a project inception meeting at the Dream Valley Resort in Teakettle Village on Monday. The main topic of discussion was a project entitled, “Integrated Management of Production Landscapes to Deliver Multiple Global Environmental Benefits.”
Dr. Kenrick Williams, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry, and Global Environment Facility GEF Project Coordinator, introduced the GEF6 project as a US$26-million-dollar project that will last for five years, (US $5.1 million coming from GEF alone).
“How do we integrate communities in the watershed?” he asked.
In his keynote address, Hon. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, recognized the Forestry Department and the Biodiversity Office for doing their part in the process.
“The time to work lies ahead,” he said.
“Watershed and land use management has been recognized as a key priority,” he reiterated.
Minister Habet said that GEF6 had specific targets in mind for sustainable development and novel approaches to biodiversity conservation. GEF6 will also seek new goals for sustainable land and water management.
Mr. Ian King, Deputy Regional Representative from the United Nations Development Program, also gave a virtual talk on Monday, stating that “this is a remarkable initiative.” These efforts will contribute towards the Montreal Biodiversity targets. (Belize has 1,014 native species of vertebrates and 3,750 species of plants.)
GEF6 will be implemented across the Belize River Watershed, which is Belize’s largest watershed from a total of 18 that exist. While Belizeans have the highest groundwater resources per capita in the Americas, these efforts are to consolidate what already exists, said the experts on Monday.
There will be some 1,700 beneficiaries under GEF6. It is also hoped that 750 hectares of riparian areas will be restored.
Project reviewers have identified various challenges. Those include the existence of limited available tools to bring together the public and private sectors to address threats to biodiversity, along with land and water resource degradation that results from conventional production practices. There are also ineffective mechanisms to ensure coordinated effort and sharing of information.
GEF6 has taken so far five years of preparation and its implementation will end in January 2028. The presence of various partners such as Galen University and the Friends for Conservation and Development may make the tasks ahead easier. GEF6 itself will be shared by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Sustainable Development.
Minister Orlando Habet noted on Monday that he now has an added portfolio: Solid Waste Management.