The National Climate Change Office, with Support from the Commonwealth Secretariat, Hosts the “Belize Climate Finance Write Shop Series”

The National Climate Change Office within the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub hosted the “Belize Climate Finance Write Shop Series”.
The aim of the write shop series is to bridge the capacity gaps in accessing climate finance while developing sector-specific projects. The objectives included creating awareness of climate finance and climate finance options among the key stakeholder groups from the priority sectors, identifying the potential and feasible climate change project ideas from the sectors, and coordinating the national actions to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions of Belize.
The event sought to further strengthen climate finance knowledge and skills in conducting financial and economic analysis while integrating gender, environmental and social safeguards as is required in the development of climate finance proposals. Live concept notes were demonstrated for the practical application of data and information to enhance the evidence-based data used and the climate rationale needed in draft proposals.
The following is an overview of the topics presented:
• Introduction to climate finance – Introduced the international climate finance landscape, including key providers and sources of international finance.
• Developing Climate Finance Proposals – Introduced key elements of project proposal development, including the problem and objective analyses, steps to developing a strong climate rationale, and theory of change.
• Financial and Economic Analysis – Introduced the requirements for financial and economic analysis for the proposed intervention.
• Gender and Environmental and Social Safeguards – Provided an introduction to integrating gender and environmental and social safeguards into the project development process.
Participating stakeholders, both public and private, included the National Climate Change Office, National Biodiversity Office, Belize Forest Department (all three in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management), Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy Unit, Hydrology Unit, Belize Livestock Producers, Belize Electricity Limited, the University of Belize and SIRDI.