Official Launch of Belize’s Marine Spatial Planning Process

The Government of Belize and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) are pleased to announce the official launch of Belize’s Marine Spatial Planning process, which will be held on Wednesday, 19th October 2022, at the Belize Biltmore Plaza in Belize City.
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a public, inclusive, and participatory process through which stakeholders determine the optimal distribution of human activities across marine areas to achieve the country’s ecological, economic, and social objectives. Given the high dependence of Belize’s economy on its marine resources, the process of determining which activities can take place and where is critically important for the government, private sector, NGOs, coastal communities, the Belizean people and sustaining healthy wildlife. The MSP process will therefore be guided by the principles of transparency, equity, and inclusivity as well as scientific data and local knowledge to ensure that, ultimately, all Belizeans can benefit now and into the future from Belize’s abundant marine resources.
Ms. Beverly Wade, Director of the Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit under the Office of the Prime Minister, states that, “The Launch of the MSP signals Belize’s commitment to the rational and wise use of its marine natural capital and solidifies its leadership at the global level in finding innovative ways to balance conservation and development. The MSP process will build upon Belize’s decades of experience in marine resource management and increase public participation to ensure equal access and opportunities from our rich natural heritage for the benefit all Belizeans.”
A multi-stakeholder Steering Committee, comprising government, non-government, and private sector representatives, has been established to oversee and provide technical guidance to the planning process, as well as to make recommendations to the Government of Belize on the plan itself. The Steering Committee is chaired by the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI), which has been designated by the Government of Belize as the agency to lead Belize’s MSP process. The committee includes representation from the fisheries, tourism, water resources, economic development, shipping, environment, finance, academia, and energy sectors. Consistent with global best practices and principles, Belize’s MSP process will ensure transparency and broad-based participation by engaging the public and key stakeholder groups through a variety of forums including, but not limited to, consultations, community meetings, an electronic information clearinghouse, and the media. Furthermore, the MSP process will also be supported by technical experts and industry practitioners through several sector-specific technical working groups.
Mrs. Chantalle Samuels, Chief Executive Officer of the CZMAI, states that, “The Official Launch of the development of Belize’s Marine Spatial Plan on October 19th 2022 will undoubtedly signal the start of a transformative and cutting-edge approach to ocean conservation and management in Belize. The five-year MSP process will be stakeholder-driven, supported by strong science and local knowledge. The process will inform how best Belizeans can derive benefits from our ocean space today into to the future through actions that will also protect critical ecosystems. CZMAI will ensure that all communities and sectors with vested interests in the coastal and marine environments are able to participate meaningfully in the MSP process so that together we can protect biodiversity, achieve economic prosperity and safeguard our heritage.”
The newly formed Steering Committee held a two-day workshop on September 28th and 29th to define the vision, goals, and objectives for the MSP.
The development of a legally enforceable Marine Spatial Plan is one of Belize’s principal commitments under the Blue Bond Loan Agreement and the Conservation Funding Agreement with TNC. These agreements specify the terms of the US$364 million debt conversion for marine conservation, which was signed in November 2021. This ground-breaking conservation financing mechanism released Belize from the onerous “superbond”, reducing Belize’s overall debt burden and increasing financing for marine conservation up to 2040. This official launch marks a milestone achievement under the Conservation Funding Agreement. The launch will be live streamed on the Facebook page of the CZMAI on Wednesday, October 19th 2022, starting at 9AM. The general public is welcome to join in this momentous occasion via this link https://www.facebook.com/coastalzonebelize.org/