Belizeans continue to lobby for climate change mitigation measures both abroad and at home. Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Wilfred Peter Elrington addressed the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday. At home, actions continue to be taken to collect data on emissions.
Hon. Wilfred Erlington said there was a time when Category 5 storms were an anomaly; now they are the new norm. It is crucial that the international community seek to halve global emissions from 2010 levels by 2030, phases out the use of coal and achieves net-zero emissions by 2050. “The solutions lie within our grasp,” he emphasized, noting that Belize’s electricity is derived from renewable sources. Measures are also being undertaken which will result in large-scale reforestation. “We believe that Governments must lead the way with the highest possible ambition in line with the Paris goals,” he emphasized. The science is clear and compelling. The world is in a state of emergency. The failure of those with historic responsibility to act has already resulted in lost opportunities for the most vulnerable. While small island developing States are far behind in achieving their sustainable development objectives, climate change has shut the window of opportunity for all, he stressed. A swift response is needed from the international community and the United Nations system to enable these States to access grant and concessionary finance from which “incredibly we are completely shut out”, he said. Small island developing States require a specific resilience fund and the endorsement of debt-for-nature swaps to channel investments into much needed adaptation initiatives. Belize will remain committed to supporting efforts to protect 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030, and to finalize an agreement in 2020 for marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
“Multilateralism itself is under threat,” he said, emphasizing that the United Nations development system needs to be better aligned with the sustainable development priorities of the countries it services. Its priority should focus on enhancing the delivery of development gains for people on the ground. The deliberate policies and actions of countries which give rise to armed conflict or which result in the imposition of sanctions, economic embargos and blockades invariably result in the strangulation and destruction of the economics of the targeted countries and stymie their development. These draconian measures affect not only countries, but entire regions, leading to humanitarian crises, mass irregular migration and human exploitation. He expressed solidarity with the Palestinian, Cuban and Venezuelan people, as well as those of Western Sahara. Turning to Guatemala’s territorial claim to his country, he noted the decision to submit the claims on Belize to the International Court of Justice.
Here at home a cadre of Belizean experts at the Belize National Climate Change Office in Belmopan continue to safeguard our fort full time. On Tuesday, the REDD+ Junior Technicians in collaboration with the Geospatial Monitoring Unit of the Forest Department headed by Edgar Correa started a technical validation process of Forest Land Use Change from 2000 to 2018 using Collect Earth, Open Foris. The REDD+ Preparedness Project is special, because it is a long-term forest-based initiative that seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The purpose of the assessment that was conducted on Tuesday is for the collection of activity data for Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use (AFOLU) sector for the Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) and Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL). Belize plans to submit its first FREL to the United Nations Framework on the Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) in January 2020.
A rising star within the climate change movement in Belize, Britanny Meighan, explains to the Guardian that despite Belize’s size, we must still champion to reduce our national emissions albeit low, and put pressure on the developing world to reduce theirs. “Belize’s emissions are negligible on the global scale, and the Greenhouse Gas Inventory soon published will show that,” she said.
