Belize strongly relies on the ocean and coastal and marine resources for its economic development and generation of welfare, including fisheries and the maritime movement of goods. Like other economic sectors, ocean-related activities must contribute to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, one of the main drivers of global warming. SIDS are relatively strongly exposed to the disastrous effects of global warming, in particular rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
Successfully managing the transition towards a low-carbon ocean-based economy requires strong analytical and statistical capacities. Strengthening these capacities is a primary aim of the project “Evidence-based Climate Action through Artificial Intelligence and Data Innovation for Caribbean SIDS”, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This workshop, jointly organized with the Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, the Belize Institute of Statistics and the Belize Port Authority, will kick off the activities for the project in Belize.
The project will support Belize in leveraging satellite data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for tracking vessel movements, made available through the UN Global Platform, in combination with national sources, to produce modern and high-quality GHG emission statistics for maritime trade, maritime transport and fisheries, coherent with international trade statistics and national accounts. It will also assist Belize in using these data for analysis and the development of policy recommendations to manage the transition towards a low-carbon blue economy, including capturing new opportunities arising from that transition.
Objectives
The workshop aims to:
- Introduce the project and its goals to national stakeholders
- Align project objectives with Belize’s data needs and policy priorities
- Identify related initiatives in Belize and the Caribbean
- Present a statistical method for estimating maritime emissions using AIS and national data
- Explore the relevant statistical resources in the country
- Establish collaboration, roles and plans for data-sharing among national agencies
Audience
Open to government officials, national statistics producers, fisheries experts, civil society, academia, and international partners.
