In Belize and around the world, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) works to conserve biodiversity, reduce humanity’s ecological footprint, build climate resilience, and ensure that the use of our planet’s natural resources is sustainable.
WWF has championed the conservation and sustainable management of Belize’s natural resources for over 25 years. Together with many partners across government, business, and civil society, WWF has worked to sustainably manage coastal-marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, such as mangroves and coral reefs. We are particularly proud of our work as part of the Belize Mangrove Alliance to protect this important ecosystem. Our actions are based on scientific principles that value and protect nature for the benefit of people.
As with all infrastructure projects, WWF is concerned about the potential environmental and social impact of the development of new ports and does not support the clearing of large-scale mangrove forests at any potential site. WWF does not play any role in approving the development of Port Magical, or any port in Belize.
Poorly designed infrastructure can cause significant harm to biodiversity, the natural coastal environment, our climate, and local communities. The potential for destruction of mangrove forests and disruption of the free movement of species should be addressed and avoided.
We urge the Government of Belize to exercise caution with strong due process and input from the environmental community. We urge all port developers, cruise ship operators and government decision-makers to strictly follow sustainable development principles when assessing and deciding upon potential destinations or ports for development.
Media contact:
Maria del Rosario Calderon
Senior Communications Officer
WWF Mesoamerica
rcalderon@wwfca.org
