Following the historic Blue Bond debt conversion program procured in November 2021, a conservation fund was created for marine conservation. To mark this momentous program, the Ministry of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), invites Belizeans to name the new conservation fund. Participants could win a four-person trip to San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, hotel stay, and a guided tour of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The deadline to participate is February 11th, and those interested can take part by clicking here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GPZNH5W. 
The participants of this naming initiative will not have to dig in deep to develop a name for the fund. The ministry has three choices for everyone to choose from. These were shortlisted during a recent public stakeholders’ engagement session. The names include Belize Conservation Fund, Belize Conservation and Resilience Fund, and Belize Fund for Sustainable Future.
Of importance is to highlight the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This was the first marine protected area declared in Belize in July 1987. This reserve has become one of the most popular snorkeling sites for Belizeans and tourists alike. It is located off the coast of Ambergris Caye, providing an excellent opportunity for Belizeans and anyone looking for a marine experience.
The Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of the Blue Economy, Kennedy Carrillo, indicated that choosing an appropriate name for the fund is very important. “The name will be with us for a long time, so it should be meaningful to the Belizean people,” said Carrillo. She added that such a choice should also reflect the fund’s purpose, which is to secure the conservation and sustainable use of Belize’s marine and coastal environments.
The Blue Bond program is the debt conservation agreement between the Government of Belize and TNC. The TNC’s “Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation” program is the world’s most extensive debt restructuring for marine conservation to date. It has allowed Belize to restructure its onerous “super bond,” allowing for debt relief and generating over US$84 million for marine conservation over the next 20 years. Additionally, an estimated US$92 million will be available by 2041 in an endowment. These funds will support Belize’s commitment to protecting 30% of its marine and coastal environments. The marine ecosystems in the country are the essential natural resources on which the national economic future depends on.
Establishing this new conservation fund is now underway, and the government and TNC have committed to engaging the full spectrum of Belizean stakeholders throughout this process.
To find out more about the work TNC does, visit www.nature.org.
