Funding for Climate Vulnerable Cities
In a panel discussion at COP28 in Dubai, Mayor Sheran Palacio of Belmopan, addressed the critical need for funding to enhance climate action and innovation in cities. The event, hosted by Multilateral Development Banks, emphasized the challenges faced by local and regional communities in the wake of climate disasters, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. Mayor Palacio highlighted Belmopan’s role as a climate-resilient city and discussed the importance of accessing financing at the municipal level. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo files the following report from Dubai.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropists and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, GCOM, Belmopan Mayor Sheran Palacio participated in a panel discussion focused on mobilizing resources to scale up climate action and innovation in cities. The side event was hosted by the Multi-lateral Development Banks at COP28 in Dubai. Mayor Palacio says her participation in events like these is key to moving Belmopan forward as it relations to climate resilience and innovation.
Sheran Palacio
Sheran Palacio, Mayor, Belmopan
“I think it is vert important. As I said earlier, I was financed a huge philanthropy and the bringing Belmopan to the forefront says a lot. More so, I am sure that in Belmopan, in Belize you see whereby I have been struggling. All the time it is a struggle. So being out there for me, it gave me an opportunity to validate myself. I have been able to speak to several female mayors. I was in a room, it was an innovation studio specifically for mayors and when you see women, women are scarce. It is dominated by men so it gave me an opportunity to connect with my female counterparts and basically we shared the same story: we are singing the same sanky.”
Local and regional communities are already grappling with the impact of climate disasters, straining their ability to provide life-saving services and implement local solutions. The climate crisis affects everyone but disproportionately impacting the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable. Local communities stand on the frontlines, requiring swift reinforcements.
Sheran Palacio
“Belmopan is the right city to even look at from a climate change perspective because City Council Belmopan, now it has a term: adaptation, following hurricane Hattie. So along with that I needed to share some of the projects that we are doing with nothing because I am sure by now you have heard me on the news all the time crying out that the Belmopan City Council that I inherited all the equipment are very old and I highlighted the private partnership relationships where by the buffers are kept clean, the green spaces. Belmopan as far as I am concerned is the most important because that is where people come for refuge. It is Belmopan is the safe haven.”
And what is needed is money. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) united efforts at the COP28 to pledge significant action on climate and mobilize over US$180 billion in climate finance. The MDBs ambitious climate finance targets are seen as steps in the right direction.
Sheran Palacio
“When it comes to financing, the message that I was really pushing for is for us at the municipal level to be able to access our own financing because when we have to be waiting at the national level, most times it is very selective, it is who they choose and the time has come whereby we as mayors, we need far more respect. So when GCom selected me I think it is a golden opportunity and I wasted no time in sharing what it is all about.”
Reporting from COP28 in Dubai, Hipolito Novelo News Five.
