Stories of impact: prioritizing climate resilient transport in Belize

This document provides a quick overview of a project led by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), along with the World Bank, to work closely with the Government of Belize in order to increase the climate resilience of the road network and manage disaster risk by identifying priority investments. Through an innovative methodology that includes participatory processes and advanced data collection and analysis, this paper is intended to inform targeted investments from international donors.

The results of this initiative include the following: 

• Engaged 35 agencies to build climate resilience in the transport sector;
• Identified four critical regions with the highest flood susceptibility for climate resilient interventions;
• Developed a Road Network and Asset Database – a first in Belize’s history – to ensure road planning and maintenance is risk-informed and more efficient; and
• The methodology developed and piloted in Belize has been shared with transport and disaster risk specialists in Africa, Latin America and the Pacific to inform future resilient transport efforts globally.

In addition, the document outlines lessons learned: 

• Lack of data should not limit engagement with countries on information-based decision-making; and 
• High-level decision makers should be intimately involved in identifying investment priorities. 

This document is part of a series highlighting achievements in disaster risk management.