Advancing Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development in Belize

Background and Objectives  

Belize’s UNESCO World Heritage barrier reef is the largest in the northern hemisphere and the second largest globally. The complex marine systems surrounding Belize make it the perfect candidate for harnessing the power of ocean accounts to develop its sustainable ocean economy. 

Belize has taken significant steps towards conservation and sustainable development, including:  

• adoption of the Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan in 2016, 
• establishment of the Ministry of Blue Economy in 2020,  
• development of the national Blue Economy Development Policy, Strategy and Implementation Plan (BEDPS) 2022-2027   
• Belize’s first Maritime Economy Plan (MEP) in 2022,  
• the #planBelize Medium-Term Development Strategy 2022-2026, and  
• launch of the historic Belize Blue Bonds in 2021

 As part of these continuing efforts, Belize is now in the process of developing a comprehensive national marine spatial plan, known as the Belize Sustainable Ocean Plan (BSOP). This plan is a part of Belize’s ongoing conservation milestones under the Blue Bonds Agreement.  

 The next step for Belize is to combine existing data into an integrated framework that can be used to inform decision-makers and produce indicators. Over the next two years, the Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management and the Statistical Institute of Belize, together with additional key stakeholders such as the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, the Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit, the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations,  the Ministry of Economic Development and the University of Belize, will partner with GOAP, to: 

• Develop capacity in creating a robust framework for ocean accounting within Belize’s maritime area, thereby supporting sustainable Blue Economy development and informed decision-making. 
• Create pilot ocean ecosystem accounts for the Ambergris Caye Reef, with a plan to expand nationwide. 
• Produce a national Ocean Tourism Satellite Account to provide insights into the contributions of the tourism sector to the economic wellbeing of Belize and the importance of the ocean in supporting this. 

 These activities are outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which was signed by the Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management and the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat on 6 November 2024. This partnership will help support Belize’s blue economy and informed decision-making in ocean resource management.  

The project will build local expertise through the GOAP fellows’ program and ensure widespread involvement across government agencies, research institutions, and community groups.  

The project is funded by the UK Government through the Overseas Development Assistance grant under the Blue Planet Fund. 

Activities  

15-17 August 2023 | Workshop: Ocean Accounting in Belize 

The workshop united 20 diverse stakeholders, including government officials, experts in marine science and representatives from non-governmental organisations, to provide comprehensive training on ocean accounting and marine spatial planning. Sessions were facilitated by representatives from the GOAP Secretariat and overviews of the status of sustainable development in Belize were provided by the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CMSI), the Director of the Blue Bond & Finance Permanence Unit, and the Ministry of Blue Economy Disaster Risk Management. Learn more here. Sessions were facilitated by representatives from the GOAP Secretariat including Dr Ben Milligan, Ibukun Adewumi, Maria Granada Alarcon Blazquez, Arlette Schramm and Dr Charles Colgan.

21 August 2024 | Inaugural Project Steering Committee Meeting | Belize 

The Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management convened the first Project Steering Committee meeting for the pilot project: “Developing, Piloting, and Implementing Ocean Accounts for Belize”. The meeting was attended by ten organisations in-person and virtually who will all be critical in developing Belize’s ocean account. The Committee agreed the scope of the project, implementation mechanisms and approaches. The Project Steering Committee include representatives from the Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, GOAP, Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit, Ministry of Economic Development, Statistical Institute of Belize, and the University of Belize. 

6 November 2024 | Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management Signs MOU to Advance Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development in Belize | Belize 

The Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat to Advance Ocean Accounting for Sustainable Development in Belize, marking a pivotal step towards developing robust ocean accounts for the sustainable management of Belize’s marine resources. The MOU outlines a collaborative framework with key partners, including the Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, GOAP, Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute, Statistical Institute of Belize, University of Belize, Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Sustainable Development. The project will build local expertise through the GOAP fellows’ program and ensure widespread involvement across government agencies, research institutions, and community groups. 

5-7 November 2024 | Ocean Accounts Data Pathways and Visualization Tools Workshop” | Belize 

The “Ocean Accounts Data Pathways and Visualization Tools Workshop” convened over 25 attendees from a range of national ministries, government departments, research institutions, and environmental organizations dedicated to advancing sustainable ocean management. This workshop focused on critical data considerations for developing Belize’s ocean accounts, including identifying necessary data, establishing storage and communication systems, and mapping out data-sharing channels among stakeholders. Participants engaged in discussions on enhancing data accessibility, standardizing data collection practices, and exploring visualisation tools like dashboards and platforms to make ocean accounts data user-friendly and actionable. The outcomes of this workshop lay the groundwork for a sustainable, collaborative ocean accounts framework, supporting Belize’s long-term blue economy goals. 

To learn more about this project, please contact info@oceanaccounts.org