Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation

The report examines the intersection of ecosystem management, poverty reduction, and climate adaptation in Belize, focusing on the vulnerability of its coastal zone. It identifies key drivers of change—population patterns, socio-economic development, and climate change—and uses scenario building to project outcomes by 2050. The study assesses Belize's current governance baseline across four clusters (institutions, policies, regulations, and capacity), finding that while sectoral policies are progressing, enforcement and integrated capacity remain weak. It proposes a transition toward stronger, more centralized governance and integrated cross-sectoral planning to enhance national resilience.

• Belize's coastal and marine ecosystems provide significant economic value, with shoreline mangroves and coral reefs contributing between US$395-559 million annually to the national economy through fisheries, tourism, and shoreline protection.
• Observed climate data from 1960 to 2006 shows an average temperature increase of 0.9 °C, with nights warming more than days (minimum temperature increase of 1.2°C versus maximum increase of 0.4°C).
• Sea-level rise in the region averaged 1.8mm/year between 1961 and 2003, accelerating to 3.1mm/year between 1993 and 2003.
• The study identifies three primary drivers of change affecting the coastal zone: population patterns (including migration and urbanization), socio-economic development (including poverty and consumption), and climate change (including extreme events and sea-level rise).
• Scenario building for 2050 suggests that 'strong governance' can mitigate large changes in drivers through planned urbanization, diversified economies, and adaptive responses, whereas 'weak governance' combined with large drivers could lead to 'End of Days' characterized by coral collapse, political instability, and extensive infrastructure loss.
• A comparative analysis of desirable future scenarios indicates that 'no regret' governance changes—those necessary regardless of the magnitude of climate impacts—include socio-institutional capacity building, public education, and integrated cross-sectoral planning.
• Belize's current governance baseline is uneven: strategies and policies are the most advanced (estimated between levels 2 and 3 of integration), while regulations, laws, incentives, and general capacity/resources are the least advanced (estimated at level 1).
• A significant barrier to accessing international climate adaptation funds is the absence of a dedicated national implementing agency in Belize.
• While various entities have mandates for cross-sectoral coordination, they often operate in isolation and lack credibility or support from key sectoral government agencies.

APA

Devisscher, T., Taylor, A., Bood, N., & Jeans, H. (2010). Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/wwf-sei-2010-belize-final-report.pdf

Chicago

Devisscher, Tahia, Anna Taylor, Nadia Bood, and Helen Jeans. Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2010. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/wwf-sei-2010-belize-final-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Devisscher |first1=Tahia |last2=Taylor |first2=Anna |last3=Bood |first3=Nadia |last4=Jeans |first4=Helen |title=Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2010 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/wwf-sei-2010-belize-final-report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{devisscher2010ecosystems, author = {Devisscher, Tahia and Taylor, Anna and Bood, Nadia and Jeans, Helen}, title = {{Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2010}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/wwf-sei-2010-belize-final-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }