National Meteorological Service of Belize

The Government of Belize (GOB), through the Ministry of Economic Development (MED), and the Resilient Rural Belize Programme (RRB), with funding from GOB, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), provided weather sensors and equipment to the National Meteorological Service (NMS) of Belize. These tools will assist the AgroMet section in providing real time weather information to rural farmers and households in Belize. The Resilient Rural Belize Programme via Subcomponent 2.3: “Investment in Territorial Climate Resilient Assets,” is financing the upgrade of the Climate Information system at the National Meteorological Service of Belize at a value of US $256,300.00.

As the powerful Hurricane Beryl moves west-northwest across the Caribbean Sea at 22 miles per hour, a tropical storm warning has been issued from...

The country is currently experiencing a severe drought, which is not only affecting the agricultural sector but also threatening energy as well. For the past weeks, the water level at the Fortis Dam hydroelectric reservoir has been dwindling, and its management has stated that there will be only enough water for about two more weeks.

San Pedro Town has activated a response to tackle the current influx of the brown seaweed known as sargassum, with the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) leading the campaign. On May 3rd, they offered more job posts to keep the beaches sargassum-free and are also partnering with the private sector to jointly remove much of the seaweed from the shoreline. All tourism stakeholders are encouraged to share their response efforts as the seasonal natural phenomenon affects the coasts beyond the downtown area.

The Central Executing Unit of the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) held a joint handing-over ceremony on April 23, for two specific projects. Through the Sustainable and Inclusive Belize (SAIB) project, six extension officers were contracted to support the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise in the project implementation by providing technical guidance and coordination support to the project activities at the district Level.

The Government of Belize has received substantial grant funding of BZ$3,157,028 dedicated to advancing critical climate initiatives. In a groundbreaking move toward sustainable and responsible climate finance management, the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is the first government entity to oversee and manage funds from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season ended on Thursday, November 30th, and was deemed very active in terms of the number of named storms. The season produced 20 named storms, ranking in fourth place for the most named storms in a season since the year 1950.

Even though the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has embarked on a project to pave the main streets across the subdivisions, the recent rainfall is affecting residents. Some claim that the lack of drainage along the cement streets is causing their yards to flood. SPTC indicated that the problem will be addressed as the project includes proper drainage and infrastructure to accommodate the utility companies and the neighborhoods.