Belize Delegation at Climate Change Conference in Germany

A delegation of five Belizeans is currently at a climate change conference in Bonn, Germany. Focal point is Doctor Lennox Gladden, the National Climate Change Officer. The conference is a precursor what will happen in November in Egypt for COP27. For two weeks, discussions will surround issues such as climate finance, agriculture and climate change and to ensure that there is transparency and equity for countries experiencing the brunt of climate change.  Doctor Gladden says that it’s a year for action, as we’re almost at climate crisis mode and that’s being thrashed out by representatives from all countries.

Dr. Lennox Gladden

Dr. Lennox Gladden, National Climate Change Officer

“Across the board and it has always been an issue is the need for support. In the absence of that, a lot of the activities that we need to implement under the Paris Agreement, parties are saying listen, you’ve provided the technical support, however, we need to implement. We are almost at a climate crisis mode. We need to now set up facilities or maybe additional bodies to actually assist with the coordination so activities can happen on the ground. In the absence of that, we will not be able to meet that goal of mitigating and reversing some of the impacts that we need to do at least by 2025. So stuff of that nature that is what we are dealing with right now and the sticking point across all parties of course is the need for support, mostly financial support to actually implement under loss and damage, what is being done under article six and broader mitigation objectives, what is being done under transparency. So that is something that is across most of the work streams at this point.”