- Implementation of the Belize Resilient Bold Belize Project
BELMOPAN, Belize – The government of Belize has secured 5 million USD in funding support over five years as part of the Blue and Green Islands (BGI) Global Environment Facility (GEF) 8 Integrated Program. The Resilient Bold Belize (RBB) Child Project aims to secure the long-term conservation and resilience of Belize’s marine and coastal ecosystems, promoting nature-based livelihoods and the well-being of Belizeans.
The GEF-endorsed project will focus on Belize’s Blue Ocean space and is designed to initiate Belize’s Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative. The PFP is a significant private-public partnership led by the Blue Bond and finance permanence unit within the office of the prime minister, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. The Blue Bond and finance permanence unit is the executing agency for this GEF Project, which is implemented by the WWF GEF Agency.
The coast-to-ocean project scope spans across Belize’s connected marine and coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrass, and reefs, to deliver on the BGI Integrated Program objectives through improved management and increased financial sustainability of 14 coastal protected areas and 21 marine protected areas, spaces that are globally recognized as biodiversity hotspots, vital for supporting local fishing and tourism industries, and for protecting coastal communities from storms.
After the proposed five-year GEF RBB Project is closed, the science-driven PFP will continue implementation for an additional six years, with the objective of securing the financing strategies in place for long-term conservation in an effective, efficient, and well-managed system that contributes to the sustainable development of the country and the well-being of its people.
The Blue Bond and finance permanence unit has disclosed the project’s safeguard documents prior to the start of project implementation in 2025. These safeguard documents include the stakeholder engagement plan and the environmental and social management framework, which have been displayed indefinitely on publicly accessible websites, currently including the government of Belize press office website and the Belize fisheries department website.
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