Protected Areas Conservation Trust

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED), as Belize’s National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), is pleased to announce the approval of the GCF Readiness Proposal, “Strengthening technical and institutional capacities of Galen University, BLPA, PACT, BNPAS and the Government of Belize to access Climate Finance”. This proposal is valued at BZ$1,359,450 in grant funding. It was developed and will be implemented by the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) in collaboration with the beneficiary stakeholders.

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) and the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) are pleased to announce the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at jointly financing the enhancement of tourism products and services within Belize’s protected areas.

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED), as Belize’s National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the Climate Finance Unit (CFU), announce that the GCF has approved a grant of BZ$2,974,060 for its Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme Proposal for “Enabling Activities for the Formulation and Implementation of a Multisectoral National Adaptation Plan for Belize.”

The Ministry of Economic Development (MED), Belize’s National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the Climate Finance Unit (CFU), announce that the GCF has approved a readiness project entitled “Building Capacity for Climate Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Urban Land Management and Strengthening the Capacity of the Ministry of Economic Development for Pre-Accreditation to the GCF”.

The Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve in northern Ambergris Caye is considered by many island residents an area exploited by encroachers endangering the unique and protected wildlife in that area. Many concerned residents continue to report illegal fishing, clearing of land, and hunting. The area is also a critical nesting area for sea turtles, and respective authorities are urged to do something before it is too late. The Ministry of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation (MBECA) is aware of the situation, and to continue the efforts to address the issue, the ministry participated in the signing of a subsidiary agreement between the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) and the Belize Fisheries Department to improve the management of the marine reserve network in the country.

On Thursday, February 24th, the Chairman of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (HCMR), Ian Pou, provided details of the organization’s current state, its finances, and how it has been recovering from the alleged mismanagement by the previous administration. The report also touched on the conditions HCMR’s equipment (vehicles and vessels) were left in and the questionable activities of certain staff members.

June 6th, 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT). The Trust was operationalized as a statutory body in 1996 as Belize’s national financing mechanism for protected areas and it has directly invested over $34 Million in the national protected areas system in addition to varied indirect financial support.

Staff from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) along with Hon. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management paid a courtesy visit to the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) on March 29, 2021.