Oceana looks forward to COP26

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is quickly approaching, and OCEANA Belize is looking forward to the event.  The event is scheduled for the thirty first of October to the twelfth of November.  We asked Carnegie what OCEANA expects will be the priority issues for Belize.

Alyssa Carnegie, Communications Director, Oceana Belize

“We are very excited about it because we understand the impacts, and we are primarily seeing it through things like sea level rise, coral bleaching, because of rising ocean temperatures, the rising sea levels, all the rains we’ve had over the past few couple days. Belize City, low lying coastal areas are all flooded, including parts in San Pedro. We are excited about it because as a coastal community who contributes little to green house gas emission, which has been found as a direct cause for climate change, we are on the frontlines of it. We are the first ones who are on the receiving end, having to deal with the impacts from it. So, it is beyond looking at adaptation and mitigation efforts, which is so often what is being spoken about here with us.  It is a cost  that also has to be taken on by countries themselves, like in Caribbean, who have very little funds or resources, compared to some of these global multinational countries who contribute directly to fossil fuel emission. We are left with the cost of trying to rebuild communities. Families who lose their homes because of stronger hurricanes and storms, parts of countries that are completely wiped out after thunder storms flooding. Of recent memories people in Cayo last year, we all recall the impact of those. And, where does that come from? Who shoulders the burden of climate change for these people, for these communities, and that is a big thing for us.”