BELIZE’S GREEN GOLD

Belize has always maintained her commitment to the protection of the environment and successive governments have continued adherence to this commitment. In 2003 Belize became a signatory party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the annexed Kyoto Protocol. With only 8,867 square miles in area, marine parks and natural reserve protected areas consist of 40% of the country; which are all under various management structures. Yet, over the most recent years the policy cohesion between government and non-state actors on issues of the environment has been fraught with confrontations. It is imperative for governments to realize that economic growth and development must not be realized at the expense of the environment. Therefore, policy coherence is a must. In this regard, it is useful to understand the underlying issues as it relates to environmental goods and services and how Belize can seek to capitalize on such resources to the benefit of all her people.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) in its General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) defines environmental services as covering the following areas: sewage services refuse disposal services, sanitation and similar services and other services. The international trade of environmental services can occur mainly through commercial presence (mode 3) via foreign direct investments and through the accompaniment of natural persons (mode 4). Environmental goods on other hand are not so easily defined, as any such goods would be addressed as non-agricultural products, such as forestry, mining and fisheries. However, at the launch of the Doha negotiating agenda in 2001, WTO members were tasked with addressing the key area of trade and environment, but no clear guidance on definition was provided. Therefore WTO members have been grappling with a suitable definition and how tariff reductions would be negotiated. UNCTAD has identified a category of goods as “environmentally preferable products” which is defined as products that cause significantly less environmental harm. Thus any final definition is expected to encompass all the noted areas mentioned.

Definition aside, how can Belize seek to benefit from its environmental resources? This is an important question as the tourism industry has programmed its marketing strategy on identifying Belize as a premier eco-tourism destination – Be one with Belize. Therefore the environment must be viewed as the main input in that tourism product. In order for substantial benefits to be derived, a few key issues must be addressed concurrently. Firstly, policies addressing waste management services within the country must consistently span from the municipal levels to central government. Traditionally in most countries waste management services has been provided by the public sector. This has evidenced much operational inefficiency, limited area coverage and generally poor financial performance. In Belize this is most evident with the waste management services provided for Belize City. Because the public sector and municipalities in particular, are plagued with limited financial resources and lacks administrative capacity, poor service quality has been their hallmark. With policy cohesion and the establishment of simple user fees, waste management services can be either privatized or contracted-out for service delivery.

Secondly, marine parks and natural reserves not just require legislation but meaningful enforcement through strong public-private sector partnerships. Such partnerships must be guided by the recognition of the economic value of the services nature provides. Ecosystems such as the Crooked Tree wetlands, the barrier reef and atolls and the Mountain Pine Ridge reserve, are all vast areas that have immense value to Belize. And it is for this paramount reason that any development initiative must not detract from the maintenance and preservation of these ecosystems.

Lastly, as government continuously engage in the international arena and in discussions on the environment and mitigating the effects of climate change; participation must be worthwhile at all times. In a few days leaders from all over the world will converge in Copenhagen, Denmark for the 15th conference of the parties to the UNFCCC with a view to determine a framework for emission reduction targets after 2012. Accompanying such a framework will be the appropriate financing mechanism, technological support systems and technology transfers required by developing countries to mitigate the deleterious effects of climate change. For Belize, homework has not been completed, in that the required national assessments as to the needs has been lacking. Thus, all efforts must be made to capitalize on the institutional capacity resident within the private sector to ensure that the required assessments are conducted and financial needs identified. The issue of compensation must be duly addressed. Although the country is in a period of recession, it nonetheless can be an opportune time for real and substantive progress to be made in how business is conducted in Belize and how we can seek to guide Belize’s future development on a sustainable trajectory for the benefit of all Belizeans generations to come.

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