In the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) taking place in Belém, Brazil, a series of high-level gatherings brought together mayors and local leaders from around the world. From November 3rd to 6th, San Pedro Town Mayor Gualberto “Wally” Nuñez, along with Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner, Placencia Chairman Warren Garbutt, and other team members, participated in the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) forum held in Rio de Janeiro.
The event showcased bold city leadership on climate action, subnational priorities, and mobilization of resources for an ambitious and inclusive COP30 agenda. Participants engaged in high-level dialogues, peer learning, and technical exchanges focusing on strategies to build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments.
One of the forum’s key milestones was the official launch of the Global Environment Facility-8 Sustainable Cities Integrated Program, a global initiative supporting cities in implementing integrated solutions for climate, biodiversity, and circular economy challenges. The Belizean delegation attended sessions on climate resilience, energy transition, inclusive economic growth, and smart city solutions, all aimed at making cities greener, safer, and more livable.
During the GPSC Mayors Roundtable and Urban Nature Forum, Mayor Nuñez highlighted San Pedro’s situation as an island municipality on the frontlines of climate change. “Rising sea levels and accelerating beach erosion are reshaping our coastline and threatening our way of life,” he said. Nuñez shared that San Pedro has partnered with local scientists and coastal engineers to restore and protect the island’s beaches. “We are rebuilding our natural defences, recreating beach berms and dunes, and replanting coastal vegetation. We are also embracing nature-based solutions that work with the environment, not against it,” he added.
Nuñez noted that San Pedro’s environmental efforts have drawn attention from international financial institutions such as the World Bank, which is supporting a project involving planning and data collection to better address beach erosion and related challenges.
The mayor also addressed other major environmental threats. “Sargassum, a regional and global crisis, has become one of our greatest environmental challenges,” he said. “Climate change has intensified this invasion, warmer seas and shifting ocean currents are fuelling massive algal blooms. This crisis damages our coral reefs, harms our tourism industry, and endangers public health, placing further strain on our already limited local resources.”
Mayor Nuñez called on the global community, particularly major contributors to climate change, to confront the root causes of these crises. “Small islands and coastal communities like San Pedro are bearing the heaviest burdens of a problem created by developed nations. Our coral reefs, our livelihoods, and our cultures are at stake,” he emphasized.
COP30, scheduled for November 10th–21st, will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change, and climate finance for developing countries. The Belizean delegation urged global leaders to stand together in demanding accountability, stronger partnerships, and equitable financing.
The forum also provided networking opportunities with leaders such as Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, Mayor Oleksandr Syenkevych of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Mayor Brian Jackson of Beverly Hills, Missouri, Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon, Mayor César Nascimento of Cubatão, Brazil, and Mayor Stefano Lo Russo of Torino, Italy.
Other notable participants included Eric Garcetti, former Los Angeles Mayor and Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy with the C40 Cities Network, Leva Lazareviciute, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Advisor on Decentralized Cooperation, and Michael Lund, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Belize. Their involvement reinforced global collaboration for sustainable urban development.
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