Overview : Project Purpose:
The Government of Belize (GOB), with the support of the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) and with financing from the European Union (EU) has agreed to undertake a project aimed at building Belize’s capacity for climate change governance, with specific interventions in the water sector.
Climate change is now regarded globally as an overarching development challenge that can have serious adverse effects on the economic growth of countries, affecting food security, public health, social stability, and population vulnerability. The proposed intervention recognizes fresh water as being vital and finite and as a resource very vulnerable to climate change. Its linkages to economic growth, livelihoods, social cohesion and political stability of countries require that special attention be paid to the effective management of this resource.
The piloting of innovative drinking water treatment and safe storage of water in dispersed rural communities is seen as a direct link between climate change initiatives and the most vulnerable areas of the country. Water management efforts have to target the consumers and users of the resource. By piloting the use of rain water storage tanks along with proper water filtration system at the point of use (household), the responsibility of water management is then put in the hands of the user.
At the community level, where the national water company does not reach, this responsibility is usually put in the hands of water boards and the Department of Rural Development. Piloting new water storage and treatment systems for communities will allow many more households to benefit from potable water. |