Honourable Orlando Habet

On the 23rd of August 2023, Ms. Beverly Wade, Director of the Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit (BBFP), on behalf of the Government of Belize, participated in a side event hosted by the Enduring Earth Partnership at the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Vancouver, Canada. This side event focused on “Working in partnership to secure long-term conservation financing for people and our planet: the Project Finance for Permanence (PfP) model.”

The co-management agreements signed with conservation partners last month (March) for a number of protected areas raised eyebrows in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, when it was revealed that the Bacalar Chico National Park, located north of the island, would be managed by the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD). This led the non-governmental organization (NGO) Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development (ACCSD) to register its disappointment as they stated they had been working on a plan with government authorities to manage the protected area. In an official note released on Monday, April 3rd, they indicated that they were not consulted in such an important matter despite their interest in being part of Bacalar Chico's administration.

The government has announced changes in vetting developments needing environmental clearances. As per a release from the Department of the Environment (DOE), an amendment to the existing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations has changed, as noted in the newly created Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 23 of 2023. The DOE said this amendment ensures the utmost transparency and accountability to the general populace across Belize.

A series of events involving the Central American Commission for Environment and Development Council of Ministers is happening north of San Pedro Town at the Grand Caribe beach resort. The Government of Belize (GOB) is hosting the event as the President Pro Tempore under the Central American Integration System (SICA), with the Honourable Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, presiding over the meetings.

A Belizean delegation led by Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Honourable Orlando Habet is currently participating at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, commonly referred to as COP27. The 27th edition is taking place in El Sheikh, Egypt, where on Tuesday, November 15th, Minister Habet highlighted the impacts of climate change and appealed to developed countries that have built their wealth on exploiting fossil fuels, causing climate crises in countries like Belize.

Minister of Sustainable Development Honourable Orlando Habet said that the deadline for single-use plastic and Styrofoam products in Belize would be December 2021. Habet shared this with the media from Glasgow, Scotland, where he is attending the UN Climate Change Summit. He said his ministry is preparing to enforce the Environment Protection (Pollution from Plastics) Regulations that was signed in January 2020.

On December 18, 2020, the Government of Belize received a donation of humanitarian relief which includes food items, hygiene kits, water and mattresses from the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil to assist in the aftermath of Tropical Depression ETA and floods caused by Hurricane Iota.