Accessing Climate Finance for Projects

Dr. Lennox Gladden

Ahead of COP26 last year, Belize was able to submit its updated national determined contributions, as did many other countries. But to carry out projects that would reduce carbon emissions to meet the N.D.C. goals is costly.  Now, Belize has been accessing climate finance for some time now which has helped with projects over the years. Doctor Gladden says that the session helps with establishing where as a country, Belize can tap into funds to help with adaptation measures and assist communities that have been impacted by climate change.

Dr. Lennox Gladden, Chief Climate Change Officer, National Climate Change Office

“As it relates to the climate finance strategy, we have completed the draft document and now that is going through its rounds. What is important is that it has its alignment and its old synergies with the N.D.C. Implementation plan and also it takes into consideration the recently updated national climate change policy. So it is a task in itself bringing all of these things together, but it is important. Like one of the stakeholders mentioned, okay we have finalised the N.D.C. – it is a very robust document – but where are the resources to actually help with the implementation. The costing of the N.D.C. is quite extravagant. Where will the money come from? Do you have any sort of plan in place to track implementation? And we say yes; here is the implementation plan. That’s good, but where are the funds coming from? The funds can come from different entities, but this is the map which shows you that it can come from bilaterals, it can from a G.C.F., [and] it can come from G.E.F.”