nov-2017c

16 17 OPENING LINES T he government of Belize,with the support of the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank (CDB), is stepping up its climate change adaptation efforts.Belize’s Social Investment Fund (SIF), an implementing agencyof the government address- ing the basicneeds of the country’smost vulnerable, has set inmotion plans to incorporate climate risk management in its national project development process. OnOctober 26 and 27,the Bank funded a CRM trainingworkshop for SIF’s stakeholders.Recognizing Belize’s high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change,including natural disasters such as hurricanes, storms,flooding,earthquakes,and erosion,the sessions focused onminimizing their negative effects,which can both reverse and retard national development. The programprovided step-by-step guidance in undertaking climate riskand vulnerabilityassessments, proactive approaches toward country riskmanage- ment and design standards for infrastructure. By incorporating CRM in its project development, SIF will be better able to make climate consid- erations in its interventions,which are helping transform the lives of thousands of Belizeans in the areas of education, health,water and sanitation, institutional strengthening, infrastructure develop- ment, human development skills training, and social transformation. “This is the first SIF in the region to specifically at- tempt to integrate climate and disaster risks into its projects.We hope this will stimulate other borrow- ing member countries of the CDB to seek support in this area.The importance of CRM in the region can- not be understated, especially now, given the recent severe impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria,” said Samuel Wedderburn,Team Leader, European Invest- ment BankTechnical Assistance (EIBTA) for Climate Action Support to the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank. Regional and international experts in the areas of climate change,the environment,economics and de- velopment presented at the two-dayevent,whichwas attended by45 participants,comprisingmainly staff of SIF and CDB,engineers,contractors,consultants,and personnel fromvariousministries. The enhancing climate riskmanagement training workshop followed the project launch of the ninth cy- cle of the BasicNeedsTrust Fund and the Belize Social Investment Fund III Project,which CDB funds. BELIZE HOSTS CLIMATE RISKMANAGEMENTWORKSHOP