Final Report: Belize Study – Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation: Improving the Knowledge Base for Planning, Policy and Management

Ecosystem-based approaches to climate adaptation involve governing and managing ecosystems in ways that enhance their resilience to climatic shocks and stresses and thereby maintaining, and where possible enhancing, the quality and quantity of services they provide to society and in so doing supporting human communities to adapt to current and future climate risks. This contributes in various ways to achieving sustainable development and the improvement of livelihoods.

Belize is the most sparsely populated nation in Central America, with 311,480 people living on 8,800 square miles. Over 50% of the national territory is coastal and more than half of the population lives in this zone. The coastal area of Belize supports a wide diversity of ecosystems, including the second longest barrier reef in the world.

This study focused on the coastal and marine ecosystems and included a series of interviews and a two-day workshop involving key national stakeholders. The report synthesizes information obtained during the interviews and workshop on the processes of change, and the opportunities and barriers involved in mainstreaming ecosystem-based approaches into national adaptation and development policies and plans.

Download the report (PDF, 6.5MB)