At a meeting held on June 30 through July 2 in Belmopan and Belize City, MESTPU Energy Director Ambrose Tillet said that “the OAS project will create an opportunity to pool a greater mass of capabilities to deliver on the ambitious goals and targets set out in the national sustainable energy strategy action plan.” The ESD project promotes the adoption of minimum energy performance standards for lighting, cooling, refrigeration and industrial motors. The three-day event allowed local stakeholders, OAS specialists and other experts to make a review of specific consumer products that should be either introduced or phased-out, thus favoring energy-efficient consumer choices. The ESD project is part of the Sustainable Energy Capacity Building Initiative (SECBI), funded by the United States Permanent Mission to the OAS under the umbrella of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA).

The technical visits to Belmopan and Belize City showcased the project as a “proof of concept” that promotes energy sector modernization in the Caribbean. The MESTPU is making strides to reduce Belize’s carbon footprint and is positioning the country as a reference for others in the region. The support of the OAS contributes to aligning several individual program components into a comprehensive model that can be adapted to serve each constituent. The OAS also contributes to documenting and sharing this experience, thereby enhancing its potential to benefit the entire Caribbean region. When completed, the project ESD will have contributed to Belize’s sustainable development by creating an enabling environment for investments in, and utilization of, efficient and renewable energy measures; created a platform for lower electricity rates; and significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions.