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3-day Greenhouse Gas Inventory training in Belize

A three-day workshop to train climate change personnel in the data management for national Greenhouse Gas inventory in Latin-American and Caribbean kicked off in San Ignacio on Monday. The training is to introduce the participants to professional good practices in data management, including governance, quality, archiving, and stakeholder engagement. Chief Climate Change Officer of the […]

Good Management Practices are Critical to a Sustainable Honey Industry

If you’ve ever come across a bee, your natural reaction would be to run away because their sting can be painful and deadly.  And while bees have proven deadly to humans and animals, they are critical to the sustainability of food production.  But bee populations are dwindling more and more each year.  They are under […]

Sarteneja Honey Producers Association Fight Small Hive Beetle

Last month we told you about a donation of small hive beetle traps that was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture.  Those traps are to be used to control the pest that has taken over bee colonies in the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts. It is a pest that is native to the African […]

Construction of New Building begins at Ground Zero

Seventeen years ago, a historic building in the heart of the city was consumed by fire. The loss was immeasurable, wiping out part of history that came with the colonial Paslow building. At the time, a clerk was charged with deliberately setting the fire, but the case fell apart. The building was rich with history […]

Belize and Suriname team up for Technical Exchange in the Cultural Sector

Last month, Belize and Suriname teamed up for a technical exchange in the cultural sector.  It marked the first phase of a project where both countries will share expertise on how archaeological and heritage sites are conserved and managed.  During their visit to Belize, the Surinamese team visited archaeological sites, historic cemeteries and participated in […]

Impact Workshop on IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

A regional meeting of experts on climate change is taking place in Belize City. Over a hundred scientists from all over the world have gathered the relevant scientific data which shows that like the rest of the world, the Caribbean is being affected. There is erosion, sea level and coral beaching that in turn can […]

Chair of AOSIS, Ambassador Lois Young, Speaks Out Against Efforts to Discredit Report

One of the key objectives of today’s session today was to discuss key challenges with the report and the modalities of the IPCC plenary to strengthen Caribbean small island developing countries active engagement during the approval plenary. This is important because, according to Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, Lios Young; oil producing […]

A Workshop for Manatees’ Safety

Today, the Clear Water Marine Research Institute, along with the Port Authority of Belize and the Forestry Department, held a one-day workshop with boaters and tour guides to talk manatee safety and protection, as well as boating regulations and penalties. According to long time manatee conservationist, Jamal Galvez, the purpose of the event is to […]

Belizean Fishermen Busted with Serious Haul of Illegally Harvested Conch

A pair of Belizean fishermen was busted in the southern waters off the coast of Placencia with a massive haul of out-of-season conch.  According to the Fisheries Department, a team of rangers was out on routine patrol near the southeast corner of Channel Caye when they encountered Bartolo Jimenez and another fisherman.  Upon closing in […]

Fisheries and Coast Guard Working Together at Sea

The conch season was closed earlier than usual this year.  Notwithstanding its premature closure, the Fisheries Department has been working closely with its maritime counterparts to enforce all laws at sea.  According to Gamboa, there has been a joint effort over the past two months to patrol several hotspots, including the area where the fishermen […]

Pesticides Control Board Shares Mid-Term Evaluation of 2017-2021 Plan

In April 2017, the Pesticides Control Board launched a plan that would help the Board reach a higher level as a modern, more effective organization that delivers quality services and provides adequate coverage to the agri-food sector, as well as other sectors involved in pesticide use.  In its almost thirty years of existence, this is […]

Medfly detected on the Placencia Peninsula

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority has detected the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, commonly known as the medfly, along the Placencia Peninsula. The medfly has been found in several backyards but BAHA says they were brought in through contraband fruits and vegetables. Several weeks back, the medfly was detected in Hopkins but BAHA successfully eradicated the pest. […]

Identifying Sources of Marine Litter

Identifying the sources of marine litter is the focus of an ongoing seminar hosted by the Department of the Environment in partnership with the Commonwealth Litter Programme.  Earlier today, stakeholders from the Belize Ports Authority and other maritime agencies joined D.O.E. in formulating recommendations to address the root causes of marine litter which has become […]

Addressing Marine Litter in Belize’s Seas Space

Thousands of pieces of garbage, primarily plastic, wash up in the sea, river, lagoons and coastlines across the country. The marine litter causes environmental and health issues and affects the tourism industry. So stakeholders are engaged in formulating a plan to prevent dumping of litter in the waters.  Today, at the Radisson, the Ministry of […]

Fisher of the Year Award Goes to Paulino Rodriguez

He has been fishing for forty years and seen the industry he loves grow and evolve. Today, the spotlight was on Sarteneja resident Paulino Rodriguez who was made Fisher of the Year by the Wildlife Conservation Society.  With the abundance of knowledge of the sea, Rodriguez has been encouraging sustainable and responsible fishing to ensure […]

Chan Pine Ridge Villager Concern of B.S.I.’s Air Pollution

Residents of Chan Pine Ridge Village in Orange Walk say they have been greatly affected by air pollution emitted by the neighboring B.S.I. sugar factory. Villagers formed the Chan Pine Ridge Environmental Committee which is headed by Teresita Torres. According to Torres, the ashes emitted by factory contain chemicals which are affecting their health. Torres […]

AOSIS Chair Carlos Fuller speaks to Climate Action Studio in Bonn, Germany

The fiftieth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice is being held in Bonn, Germany. The climate change conference kicked off last week where, for the first time in almost fifteen years, delegates gathered for a smaller session in Bonn with only the two bodies convening […]

Tourism Minister Says Cayo Rosario Surrounded with ‘Huge Amount of Marine Life’

A Supreme Court ruling in May has the Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development ready to protect Cayo Rosario. The island sits in the middle of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve which is considered the number one of tourist attraction that Ambergris Caye has to offer. The group is strongly opposed to an approved multimillion […]

Minister Heredia Sides with Environmental Group

The decision to allow the development was made in 2018 by the National Environmental Advisory Board and the Department of Environment. The project calls for fifty island bungalows as well as fifty-four over-the-water structures over the protected fishing flats. It is for these reasons that stakeholders are vehemently opposed to the project. Minister Heredia says […]

U.S. Captain Ordered to Pay $30K for Damages to the Reef

On May thirtieth the forty-foot sailboat “Shambella” grounded on the Belize Barrier Reef. On board was US national James Garreth, along with a German National. News Five has confirmed that after an investigation, the matter proceeded to the courts and Garreth, who is said to be the captain, was ordered to pay more than thirty […]

Making the Agriculture Sector Adaptable to Climate Change

Agricultural production in Belize has been impacted by climate change and climate variability. In order to prevent the loss of millions of dollars and adapt to climate change, a five-day Train-the-Trainers Workshop on Climate-Smart Agriculture is taking place in Belmopan. Participants such as Extension and Cooperative Officers are gathering at the National Agriculture and Trade […]

The Importance of Climate Change Adaptability

Director of Extension at the Ministry of Agriculture Belarmino Esquivel says that institutional strengthening and improved technical capacities in the agricultural sector of Belize can improve the country’s ability to respond to climate risks and take advantage of opportunities that could emerge in the long-run.   Belarmino Esquivel, Director of Extension, Ministry of Agriculture “So […]

Court Ruling Won’t Stop ACCSD’s Commitment to Protecting Cayo Rosario

The Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development says a decision by the court will not stop its members from the commitment to protect Cayo Rosario. On May thirtieth, the Supreme Court refused leave for judicial review in the case brought forward by A.C.C.S.D. against the Department of Environment for the approved development at Cayo Rosario. […]

The Fisheries Administrator Has the Final Say in Cayo Rosario

But even with the green light, is there still an opportunity to stop the project – at least when it comes to the over-the-water structures that will be erected within the protected area? Director Miguel Alamilla, who is the former manager of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and was instrumental in the expansion of the […]

Sargassum Task Force Working on a National Plan

The Sargassum Task Force, which is a public-private committee charged with the responsibility to lead mitigation and adaptation measures to address the impact of Sargassum on four tourist destinations, says that to date almost three hundred properties have benefitted from hotel tax relief and ten properties took advantage of duty exemption for sargassum management equipment. […]