PACT receives GCF Approval to Develop Major Climate Resilience Project for Belize’s National Protected Areas System

Press Release, Belmopan, Belize, November 21, 2025 — The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) is pleased to announce that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a Project Preparation Facility (PPF) Service to support the development of the full proposal for the climate project, “Strengthening the Belize National Protected Areas System (BNPAS) to Provide Resilience and Reduce Vulnerability of Communities Against Climate Change.”
The announcement was made on the sidelines of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, on November 19, 2025. Ms. Milagro Matus, Chair of PACT’s Board of Directors, accompanied by Mr. Abil Castañeda, PACT’s Executive Director, and Mr. Leroy Martinez, Acting Director of the Climate Finance Unit within the Ministry of Economic Transformation, Belize, joined Ms. Kristin Lang, GCF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, for a ceremonial signing of the PPF.
The proposed project aims to strengthen the resilience and management of Belize’s National Protected Areas System, which plays a vital role in supporting biodiversity conservation, tourism, water security, and sustainable rural livelihoods. Through this PPF Service, PACT, in its role as Direct Access Entity to the GCF, will lead the preparation of a comprehensive full funding proposal for the project, including detailed technical, environmental, financial, and social assessments required by the Fund, in collaboration with the co-executing entities, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Solid Waste Management, and the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO). Once fully developed and funded, the project will enhance ecosystem integrity, build resilience across buffer communities, and reduce climate-related risks across protected and conserved landscapes.
This approval marks a significant milestone in Belize’s continued efforts to advance transformative climate action and lead the integration of conservation priorities with climate finance.
“This achievement reflects PACT’s growing capacity as Belize’s national accredited entity to international climate finance mechanisms,” said Mr. Abil Castañeda, PACT’s Executive Director. “It demonstrates confidence in Belize’s ability to lead nature-based climate solutions that strengthen both ecosystems and community resilience.”
With its dual accreditation to the GCF and Adaptation Fund, PACT continues to advance the country’s leadership in direct access to climate finance. The approval of this PPF is a testament to the GCF’s confidence in PACT’s fiduciary and technical capabilities, reinforces national ownership of climate investments, and contributes to a growing pipeline of strategic climate resilience projects for Belize.