From the Desk of the Party Leader

This weekend the Prime Minister, his Deputy and some of his technical officials are off to Copenhagen, Denmark to participate in the largest environmental conference since the 1992 Summit in Brazil. They are headed to Denmark to conclude negotiations on a new agreement that would reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases thereby reducing and eventually eliminating negative impacts on our environment.

Some Belizeans, unaware of the seriousness of this issue, may wonder why attend such a meeting, or what climate change has to do with us? After all, we are a developing country and our contribution to climate change is negligible if any at all.  In short, we are the good guys.

Indeed climate change has a direct impact on the very existence of small developing countries like ours and alone there is very little that we can do about it.   Of course as we say here in Belize, “one, one coco full up di basket,” so while we as a nation may cause little harm to the environment, or as they say: we do not leave any significant carbon print, when you factor in our contribution to what some of our neighbours are doing it adds up.

At the current rate that the world is warming, small island states in the Pacific are seriously alarmed by what is occurring before their very eyes.  They have to be.  Consider the island nation of the Maldives, for example, a nation that could in a few years simply disappear if the sea level continues to rise.

Here in Belize, coastal communities in Belize like Belize City and the Placencia Peninsula need to consider a similar fate.  Already we are seeing extraordinary erosion in the village community of Monkey River.

Since 1850, global climate temperature has risen to .8 degrees Celsius.  Over the past 30 years, temperatures in Belize raised by .8 degrees in coastal areas and 1 degree inland; this would be faster than the average.

In agriculture, a temperature raise of 1 to 2 degrees and a change in rainfall of 10 to 20 percent will affect our basic staples of rice, beans and corn by 20 percent.  Should this kind of trend persist, we will need to use 20 percent more land just to keep up with the demand to feed our people and as our population grows—estimates show that by 2025 Belize’s population will reach 400,000—more agricultural lands will be needed.

Climate change has also affected our weather. Over the past 30 years, Meteorological records show that our rain patterns have changed. We have intense rainfall for a short period and longer dry spells. Today many farmers worry about how these long dry seasons will affect their crop cycles.

These extreme climate swings also affect our timber industry. Between 1999 and 2000, because of these adverse changes in climate, it triggered probably the worst outbreak of pine bark beetle infestation in recorded history. This outbreak destroyed over 75 percent of our pine forest, in the South and the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve.

Soil retention in Mountain Pine Ridge was adversely affected, resulting in unheard of devastating flash floods in the Cayo, Belize, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts.

Climate change also affects our health. Last year a consultant was doing a study on dengue in the Cayo District and was able to advise the Ministry of Health on potential outbreak and preventative measures were taken. Unfortunately this wasn’t done this year and over 800 cases of dengue were reported.

There is also the rise in sea level. As the sea rises it contaminates ground water. Presently, San Pedro uses desalinated water and Placencia has to pipe in water from the mainland. In Belize City, at certain times during the year, salination levels in the river near the intake are heavy and consideration is being given to move the water intake farther upriver.

But where climate change can have its most devastating effect is on our tourism industry. A study in the mid 90’s showed that with a raise of 30 to 50 cc in sea level, Belize could lose half if not all its beaches.  Also, warmer waters will destroy our reef, our fish will migrate to cooler waters and hurricanes will become stronger. This can all happen in the next 50 to 100 years, meaning that some Belizeans could very well live to see the destruction of Belize.

Belize without its barrier reef, sandy beaches, pristine forest and reduced agricultural productivity could very well become a wasteland in Central America.

Therefore it is important that the Prime Minister participates in the negotiations of Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in Copenhagen. Belize needs the developed world to change their consumption patterns; we need their technology and money. Our survivability depends on it!

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