Belize has joined the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) as its 38th member, reinforcing growing political momentum by governments to place forests at the centre of climate and sustainable development strategies.
Launched by world leaders at COP27, the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership is a high-level political platform to accelerate collective action to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. Co-chaired by Guyana and the United Kingdom, the Partnership brings together governments from 38 countries to shape priorities, mobilise finance and align national action in support of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana is concluding a three-day State Visit to Belize from 1–3 February, aimed at deepening diplomatic, economic and regional cooperation between the two CARICOM member states. During the visit, he addressed Belize’s National Assembly and held high-level meetings with Governor-General Dame Froyla T’zalam and Prime Minister John Briceño, alongside engagements with business and government leaders.
Belize’s announcement to join the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership takes place during this visit and reflects the shared priority both countries place on forests and climate action.
Advancing national forest and climate priorities
As the Partnership’s newest member, Belize reaffirmed its commitment as a forest nation to sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and community empowerment, recognising forests as central to national development, climate resilience and long-term economic stability. With more than half of its land area under natural forest, Belize is among the most forested countries in Central America.
“For Belize, forests are not optional — they are central to our climate resilience and sustainable development,” said the Honourable Orlando Habet, Belize’s Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Solid Waste Management. “Joining the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership gives us a strong political platform to work with other forest countries, deliver our climate commitments and unlock the finance needed to continue protecting our forests.”
Belize recently launched a national initiative, the Belize Greening Initiative, to plant one million trees over the next five years to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen climate resilience, reflecting a broader commitment to forest protection and sustainable land use that aligns with the objectives of the Partnership.
The Partnership entering its next phase of delivery
Belize joins the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership at a pivotal time, as member countries build on strong outcomes from COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where the Partnership helped drive decisive political action on forests, finance and delivery.
At COP30, FCLP members advanced concrete solutions, including the Forest Finance Roadmap to unlock investment at scale, the Scaling J-REDD+ Coalition to accelerate results-based finance, and initiatives on sustainable green construction and forest-positive infrastructure linking forest protection with jobs and economic growth.
Members also strengthened action on land rights and community leadership through landmark progress on the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, underscoring the Partnership’s role in turning political leadership into coordinated action and measurable results for forest countries.
“Belize’s membership strengthens the Partnership and reinforces the leadership of forest countries in driving climate solutions,” said the Honourable Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources and the Guyana Co-Chair of the FCLP. “We welcome Belize’s engagement and look forward to deepening cooperation to advance forest protection, climate resilience and sustainable development across our region.”
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