Ann Gordon - National Coordinator, National Climate Change Office Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development
"Presently we are conducting a consultancy for developing for climate change policy strategy and action plan. This consultancy started Monday in the northern region where we consulted with various stakeholders in Orange Walk and Corozal Districts and continued down south on Wednesday with the Stann Creek and Toledo District. That consultation was in the Stann Creek District and now we are in the central region that covers the Belize District as well as Belmopan and Cayo District. The impacts of climate change are obvious, we see varying or shifting rainfall patters. We see the rise in sea surface temperature that is affecting our coral reef. We also see that the varying weather patterns are affecting our crop production, agriculture. It could affect our health, water sources and so one of the things that we are doing is conducting consultation with respect to a policy framework that will assist us in addressing the adverse effects of climate change, so that we could achieve our social and economic development in a sustainable manner."

"We have a wide stakeholder attendance here, we have the presentation from the tourism sector, we also have a presentation from health, education, agriculture. Planning, we have Coastal Zone Management Authority here, we have Protected Areas, so we have a broad stakeholders attendance at this moment. What we are doing is to gather their concerns, their inputs. Any comments that they would have to inform the policy, that is the reason why we are undertaking this consultation. We don't want to just produce a document, but we want to have their inputs into the formulation of this document."

These consultations have been held in all districts.