Belize is aiming to access enhanced levels of funding for climate action with the creation of a new Climate Finance Unit under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment.
Support from the Climate Finance Access Hub
The Climate Finance Unit (CFU), developed with the support of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, will help the Caribbean nation tap into vital resources from international donors and lenders to fight climate change, enhance resilience and promote sustainable development.
An announcement by the Government stated that the unit will support the development of climate finance projects and submissions of proposals from the government, private sector, civil society and other partners.
Not only will it act as a hub and clearing house for climate proposals and projects, it will also lead Belize’s international advocacy and networking efforts around improved equity and access to climate finance.
National Climate Finance Adviser
The Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser for Belize, embedded in the Ministry, Ranga Pallawala, contributed to developing the CFU’s terms of reference.
He said: “Belize is highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change so this new unit will be able to help support the country as it adapts to the realities of climate change while doing its part to mitigate it by reducing its emissions.
“The Climate Finance Unit is therefore a valuable component to coordinate the overall climate finance mobilisation process, including project proposal development.”
Helping member governments
Mr Pallawala is part of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub’s (CCFAH) network of highly skilled climate finance experts, who are deployed on long-term placements in ministries or departments to help governments make successful applications and proposals to international funds.
Mr Pallawala drew from the successful efforts by other CCFAH advisers based in the Pacific to institutionalise climate finance in government ministries. This highlights the unique value of CCFAH’s ‘hub and spokes’ model in fostering knowledge-sharing and cross fertilisation of ideas across countries and regions.
Mobilising climate finance
To date, these national and regional climate finance advisers have helped to mobilise around US$45.5 million for projects in at least seven countries, with more than US$762 million worth of projects in the pipeline for approval.
Mr Pallawala added: “The idea of a separate unit within the government of Belize to handle climate change project development and climate finance was first mooted through the Climate Finance Strategy of Belize (2021-2026), developed by the CCFAH under the NDC Partnership-CAEP (Climate Access Enhancement Package) initiative.
“As Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser, I will also work closely with the unit and provide direct support for capacity building, project proposal development and knowledge sharing aspects with regards to climate finance.”
The Climate Finance Unit will initially be staffed by a team of four, led by director Carols Pol, along with economist Leroy Martinez, proposal development officer Hunter Hales and an international advocacy and networking officer.
Media contact
- Josephine Latu-Sanft Senior Communications Officer, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
- +44 20 7747 6476 | E-mail
