Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation

This 2010 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the integration of ecosystem-based approaches into climate change adaptation and national development planning in Belize. It identifies key climatic and socio-economic drivers of change, develops future scenarios for 2050, and assesses the current state of Belize's governance system across four clusters: institutions and networks, strategies and policies, regulations and laws, and capacity and resources.

• Belize's coastal and marine ecosystems, including the second longest barrier reef in the world, provide significant economic value, 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 increased by 1.2°C compared to 0.4°C for maximum temperature).
• Climate projections for the 2090s suggest mean annual temperatures in Central America will increase by 1.3 to 4.6°C, while rainfall is generally projected to decrease, with anomalies ranging from -64% to +20% depending on the emission scenario.
• Sea-level rise in the region averaged 1.8mm/year between 1961 and 2003, accelerating to 3.1mm/year between 1993 and 2003. Projections for the 2090s range from 0.18m to 0.56m depending on the SRES scenario.
• The report identifies three main clusters of drivers of change: population patterns (including migration and urbanization), socio-economic development (including over-consumption and poverty), and climate change (including extreme events and sea-level rise).
• Scenario building for 2050 indicates that 'strong governance' can mitigate large changes in drivers through adaptive responses, diversified economies, and planned relocations, whereas 'weak governance' combined with large changes leads to an 'End of Days' scenario characterized by ecosystem collapse, political instability, and increased poverty.
• The study identifies 'no-regret' governance changes that are beneficial regardless of the scale of future climate impacts, including socio-institutional capacity building, public awareness, and integrated cross-sectoral planning.
• Belize's current governance baseline is uneven: it is estimated to be between levels 2 and 3 for strategies, policies, and plans, but remains at level 1 for regulations, laws, economic incentives, and capacity and resources.
• A significant barrier to accessing international climate adaptation funds is the lack of a dedicated national implementing agency in Belize.
• The report highlights the opportunity to leverage the presence of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in Belize to attract funding and increase research and training capacity.

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} }