Research Proposal (Example) - UNFCCC

1 I i ii Belize s Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change National climate change Office Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable development 2 Slim Lane Forest Drive Belmopan, Belize This report was prepared for the Government of Belize with funding from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) with support from the United Nations development Programme (UNDP). It may not be used for any other purposes, reproduced in whole or part or passed to any organization or person without written permission from the Government of Belize. iii BELIZE S THIRD NATIONAL COMMUNICATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWOK CONVENTION ON climate change iv FOREWARD Statement from the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable development Dear Stakeholders, Global climate change is one of the most serious threats to sustainable development in Belize.

2 For us, we have already been experiencing the negative effects of climate change . We see and experience these impacts every day; whether it is sustained droughts, floods, increase coastal erosion and changing precipitation patterns. Combined, these climate changes related phenomena are having significant impacts on many environmental, physical, social and economic systems within the country. In the future, these effects are expected to increase, thereby threatening the physical and social infrastructure in Belize. Recognizing the need to address this challenge at national and local levels, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable development , that also has responsibility for climate change , is pleased to present Belize s Third National Communication (TNC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change ( UNFCCC ) and the people of Belize.

3 Belize s Third National Communication provides a set of robust recommendations that are relevant to facilitate more effective coordination and planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation at the national and local level, in addition to the development of permanent institutional capacities and processes relating to climate change . The development of the TNC on climate change was made possible through the collaborative efforts of a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including state and non-state actors and technical experts. Financial support was provided by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), through the United Nations development Program (UNDP).

4 We also wish to acknowledge the contributions of the Caribbean Community climate change Centre in this regard. Belize places great importance in meeting its commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change . To this end, the comprehensive national greenhouse gas inventory outlined in the TNC is critical in addressing climate change and the associated environmental challenges confronting us. The integrated vulnerability assessment undertaken identified actions that will reduce vulnerability within priority development sectors, namely coastal development , water, agriculture, tourism, human health and fisheries by mitigating the impacts of climate change on these sectors and enhancing adaptive capacity.

5 V To this end, the information from the TNC was critical in the formulation of the National climate change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan and for the mainstreaming of climate change in the national development planning agenda. Most recently, my government approved the National climate change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan which sets out the policy direction to strategically transition Belize s economy to one that is characteristic of low-carbon development while strengthening our resilience to the effects of climate change . It is our intent that the TNC will be used as the national document to address critical climate change issues at national, local and sectoral levels in order to incorporate climate change into these plans.

6 Furthermore, it is our hope that this TNC will set the stage for us to develop projects and programmes that will attract financial resources to support the implementation of the necessary climate change activities throughout Belize. Our unique circumstances and small size make us particularly vulnerable to climate change and its negative impacts. As such, it behoves all of us to ensure that we are coordinated in our responses necessary to build and improve our resilience to climate change . It is also our intention to address issues, problems, gaps and constraints identified in this publication when developing the Fourth National Communication, thus ensuring that improvements are carried out in an efficient and effective manner.

7 Finally, we are grateful for the assistance given by the Belize National climate change Committee to the National climate change Office for the development of this document and other efforts aimed at implementing the UNFCCC . Honourable Omar Figueroa Minister of State Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable development vi Table of Contents Foreward .. iv List of Abbreviations and Acronyms .. 1 Executive Summary .. 4 National Circumstance .. 4 Geography .. 4 climate .. 4 Population 4 Economy .. 4 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory .. 5 Trends in Belize s Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks .. 5 Emissions by Economic Sector.

8 6 climate change Impacts: Vulnerability Assessments and Adaptation Measures .. 7 Coastal Zone .. 7 Water 8 Agriculture Sector .. 8 Fisheries Sector .. 9 Tourism .. 9 Human Health Sector .. 10 Policies and Measures Promoting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction and climate change adaptation .. 10 National climate change Policy, Strategy and Action 10 Low Carbon development 11 Other Information for Achieving Convention Goals .. 11 Gaps, constraints and related financial, technical and capacity needs for achieving the convention implementation .. 12 Greenhouse Gas Inventory .. 12 Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment .. 12 Research and Systematic Observation .. 13 Public Education and Awareness .. 13 Proposed Projects for Funding.

9 13 1 National Circumstances .. 15 vii Geography .. 15 climate .. 15 Environmental Profile .. 16 Biodiversity and Ecosystems .. 18 Protected Areas .. 19 Population Profile .. 20 Education and Labour Force .. 21 22 Energy .. 23 Agriculture .. 24 Fisheries and Aquaculture .. 25 Aquaculture .. 26 Tourism .. 27 Transport, Information and Communications Technologies .. 29 Transport .. 29 Information Communications Technologies .. 30 climate change Management .. 31 References .. 33 2 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory .. 35 Methodology .. 35 Energy .. 35 Energy .. 36 Domestic aviation .. 37 Electricity .. 37 Biomass .. 38 Industrial Processes and Product Use .. 38 Lime 38 Results.

10 39 Agriculture .. 41 Domestic Livestock: Enteric Fermentation and Manure Management .. 41 Rice Cultivation: Flooded Rice Fields .. 42 Field Burning of Agricultural Residues .. 42 Agricultural Soils .. 42 Total Synthetic Fertilizers .. 43 viii Results .. 44 Nitrous Oxide Emissions: .. 45 Net emissions of the Agricultural Sector .. 45 Conclusions .. 47 Land Use, Land Use change and Forestry (LULUCF) .. 47 Total Emission of CO2 from LULUCF .. 48 Conclusions .. 50 Waste Sector .. 51 Industrial Waste .. 51 Methane Emissions from the Industrial Waste Water .. 54 Indirect Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Human Sewage .. 54 Emissions from Solid Waste: .. 55 Emissions from Domestic and Commercial Wastewater Handling.