By Zoila Palma: The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has received approval from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to begin developing a major climate resilience project aimed at strengthening Belize’s National Protected Areas System.
The approval, announced on November 19 during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, authorizes a Project Preparation Facility (PPF) Service that will support the creation of a full funding proposal for the initiative titled “Strengthening the Belize National Protected Areas System (BNPAS) to Provide Resilience and Reduce Vulnerability of Communities Against Climate Change.”
During a ceremonial signing event, PACT Board Chair Milagro Matus, Executive Director Abil Castañeda, and Climate Finance Unit Acting Director Leroy Martinez joined GCF Regional Director Kristin Lang to formalize the agreement.
The project is designed to bolster the management and resilience of Belize’s protected areas, which are essential for biodiversity conservation, tourism, water security, and the livelihoods of rural communities.
With PACT serving as the Direct Access Entity to the GCF, the PPF will enable the development of detailed technical, environmental, financial, and social assessments required for the full proposal.
The initiative will be executed in partnership with the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management, and the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations (APAMO). Once completed and funded, the project aims to strengthen ecosystem integrity, enhance the resilience of buffer communities, and reduce climate-related risks across protected landscapes.
PACT Executive Director Abil Castañeda said the approval reflects growing confidence in Belize’s leadership in nature-based climate solutions, reinforcing the country’s expanding capacity to directly access international climate finance.
With accreditation from both the GCF and the Adaptation Fund, PACT continues to build a robust pipeline of strategic climate resilience projects that support national development and long-term environmental sustainability.