On November 11th, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) officially handed over Information Technology (IT) equipment to all seven towns and two cities during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Sustainable Development Auditorium in Belmopan. Municipalities, including San Pedro, received laptops, monitors, mice, and licensed geographic information system (GIS) software to support improved urban planning and climate resilience efforts.
The equipment forms part of the US$998,037 Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness 10 Programme, which focuses on strengthening climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable urban land management across Belize. The IT package, valued at BZ$43,603.13, also includes tablets, GPS devices, and a drone. An additional BZ$20,753.44 was invested to purchase specialized mapping software and licenses. These resources will also benefit the Belize Association of Professional Planners (BAPP).
The equipment complements a series of capacity-building workshops previously delivered through the Readiness 10 Programme in partnership with BAPP. The training sessions focused on leadership, resource mobilization, communication, and urban data management, all crucial elements for developing climate-resilient human settlements.
PACT Chair and CEO Milagro Matus highlighted the significance of the handover, stating, “This handover represents a tangible step forward in strengthening institutional capacity to build climate-resilient communities across the country.” Addressing municipal representatives, she added, “Your teams are now better equipped to use spatial analysis tools to support the development of climate-smart towns and cities.”
Town Council Administrator Rene Guzman received the equipment on behalf of the San Pedro Town Council. Guzman was unavailable for comment on how the technology will be used locally, as he was occupied with end-of-year administrative tasks.
PACT is implementing the GCF Readiness 10 Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Transformation, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, and BAPP. The initiative aligns with Belize’s national development priorities, which emphasize integrating climate change considerations into planning and infrastructure design.
By equipping local governments with advanced tools and technical training, the programme aims to empower municipalities to prepare their communities for climate-related risks better. The integration of this technology is expected to significantly enhance data-driven decision-making, sustainability, and long-term resilience across Belize’s diverse municipalities.
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