PACT hands over IT Equipment to Municipalities to Enhance Urban Planning and Climate Resilience
Belmopan, Belize, November 12, 2025 — The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) officially handed over Information Technology (IT) equipment to all nine city and town councils on November 11, during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Sustainable Development Auditorium in Belmopan.
Each municipality received a laptop, monitor, mouse and licensed geographic information system (GIS) software to support informed urban planning using improved data and analysis. The equipment is part of a larger set of resources, purchased under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness 10 Programme, which will also benefit the Belize Association of Professional Planners (BAPP). Valued at BZ$43,603.13, the equipment also includes tablets, GPS devices, and a drone. An additional BZ$20,753.44 was invested to purchase the specialised mapping software and licenses.
These resources complement a series of training workshops delivered through the project in partnership with BAPP. The workshops focused on leadership, resource mobilization, communication, and urban data management for climate-resilient human settlements and infrastructure.
In her remarks, CEO Milagro Matus, Chair of PACT’s Board of Directors said, “This handover represents a tangible step forward in strengthening institutional capacity to build climate-resilient communities across the country.” Speaking directly to the beneficiary municipalities, she added, “Your teams are now better equipped to use spatial analysis tools to support the development of climate-smart towns and cities.”
The initiative is part of the US$998,037.00 GCF Readiness 10 Programme for building climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable urban land management. PACT is implementing the programme in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Transformation, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, and BAPP.
The programme supports Belize’s priority of making climate change a key part of national planning and development. Local governments now have the tools and knowledge to better prepare their communities and infrastructure for climate challenges.
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The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) is a statutory organization established as a Trust Fund under the Protected Areas Conservation Trust Act, Chapter 218 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020. PACT sources funds nationally and internationally to finance the sustainable management and development of Belize’s natural and cultural heritage through partnership and in collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental and community-based organizations that manage Belize’s National Protected Areas System. Through its accreditation to international climate financing institutions, PACT also provides access to funding for climate adaptation and mitigation projects.