PM On Earth Day: “Belize’s Ocean Space Contributes to Food Security, Livelihoods, Development”

The Prime Minister has issued an Earth Day Message. The printed text, circulated by the Press Office, says that as the world celebrated Earth Day under the theme “Invest in Our Planet,” which calls for a shift towards investment in sustainable practices, Belize delivers on its two milestones under the Blue Bonds Agreement.  PM Briceño notes that the expansion of our marine protected areas and the designation of all national lands within the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site as Mangrove Reserves are significant as we further safeguard the functioning integrity of our ocean and coastal resources. He says these are “key to the realization of a successful ocean-based economy and improved quality of lives for our people. These two targets contribute to Belize’s commitment and the global movement towards the conservation of key areas in our ocean space and the employment of nature-based solutions as central to our national development and response to climate change. Belize’s ocean space and associated resources continue to contribute significantly to food security, livelihoods, key economic sectors, and resiliency to the impacts of climate change.” The statement closes with the assurance that the Government of Belize continues to employ a holistic approach to marine and coastal resources as part of our national development.