Belize natural resource policy inventory USAID/ROCAP RENARM [regional environmental and natural resource management] project

This report presents the results of the Belize Inventory. Chapter 1 provides structure for the study by categorizing policies and identifying four major natural resource themes: sustainable agriculture, production from natural forests, management of water resources, and management of wildlands. A brief description of Belize"s resources as they relate to each of these four themes is provided. Chapter 2 presents background information on Belize"s political and social factors that directly influence the manner in which individuals and institutions make, implement, and enforce decisions concerning natural resources. For each natural resource theme, Chapter 3 discusses the role of institutions in the policy making environment and highlights the degree of institutional complexity, coordination, and cooperation. Chapter 4 summarizes the results of the Policy Inventory. After regional, international, and macroeconomic policies are analyzed, the sector and subsector policies are discussed by each natural resource issue. The analysis focuses on the interactions of these policies and their effects on each natural resource theme and is sensitive to cases where policies do not exist or are not implemented properly. Policy inventory tables for the most significant policies discussed in this chapter are presented in Appendix A. A policy is described; the main institutions implementing or creating the policy are listed; its impact on economic growth, and on the natural resource issue in the short and long run is assessed and briefly explained; and policy alternatives requiring further research are listed. Chapter 5 concludes the study with a series of policy priorities that require collection of data and further analysis. In addition to the analysis of regional and macroeconomic policies, over 30 policies were identified as having a significant impact on the management of Belize"s natural resources. Problems of lack of laws, institutional overlap, and insufficient resources for enforcement of policies were identified and highlighted.