As part of the Blue and Green Islands GEF8 Integrated program, this innovative child project aims to secure the long-term conservation and resilience of Belize´s marine and coastal ecosystems, promoting nature-based livelihoods and the wellbeing of Belizeans. The project focuses on coastal and marine protected areas and ecosystems of Belize, recognized globally as a biodiversity hotspots, demonstrated by the designation of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site and the coastal Ramsar site. Highly connected reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats support fishing and tourism industries and provide protection from storms in coastal communities, reducing risks to lives, livelihoods and infrastructure. The target area provides protection for at least 60 IUCN-listed marine species.
The Belize project will catalyze a Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative, a major private-public partnership, led by the Blue Bond Finance Permanent Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office. The PFP will integrate the value of nature into the tourism and fisheries sectors, strengthen policy coherence, institutional capacity for gender inclusive conservation planning, and strengthen capacities for financial planning and domestic resource mobilization. The proposed PFP approach will foster impactful outcomes resulting in improved management of 13 coastal PAs, 21 MPAs, plus mangrove and other coastal ecosystems outside of the formal PA system, restoration of critical degraded coastal areas and improvement of targeted communities’ livelihoods.
