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Western Hemisphere > Belize

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Cover IMF Working Papers
Waiting for Godot? The Case for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Small Island States
Mr. Serhan Cevik
Global warming is the most significant threat to ecosystems and people’s health and living standards, especially in small island states in the Caribbean and elsewhere. This paper contributes to the debate by analyzing different options to scale up climate change mitigation and adaptation. In particular, the empirical analysis indicates that increasing energy efficiency and reducing the use of fossil fuel in electricity generation could lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, while investing in physical and financial resilience would yield long-run benefits. From a risk-reward perspective, the advantages of reducing the risks associated with climate change and the health benefits from higher environmental quality clearly outweigh the potential cost of climate change mitigation and adaptation in the short run. The additional revenue generated by environmental taxes could be used to compensate the most vulnerable households, building a multilayered safety net, and strengthening structural resilience.
Keywords:
Climate change; decarbanization; energy efficiency; mitigation; adaptation; carbon tax; green financing; climate change mitigation; risk-reward perspective; Island state; adaptation strategy; climate change adaptation; Greenhouse gas emissions; Natural disasters; Caribbean; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Debt-for-Climate Swaps: Analysis, Design, and Implementation
Mr. Marcos d Chamon
,
Erik Klok
,
Mr. Vimal V Thakoor
, and
Mr. Jeromin Zettelmeyer
This paper compares debt-for-climate swaps—partial debt relief operations conditional on debtor commitments to undertake climate-related investments—to alternative fiscal support instruments. Because some of the benefits of debt-climate swaps accrue to non-participating creditors, they are generally less efficient forms of support than conditional grants and/or broad debt restructuring (which could be linked to climate adaptation when the latter significantly reduces credit risk). This said, debt-climate swaps could be superior to conditional grants when they can be structured in a way that makes the climate commitment de facto senior to debt service; and they could be superior to comprehensive debt restructuring in narrow settings, when the latter is expected to produce large economic dislocations and the debt-climate swap is expected to materially reduce debt risks (and achieve debt sustainability). Furthermore, debt-climate swaps could be useful to expand fiscal space for climate investment when grants or more comprehensive debt relief are just not on the table. The paper explores policy actions that would benefit both debt-climate swaps and other forms of climate finance, including developing markets for debt instruments linked to climate performance.
Keywords:
Debt-for-climate swaps; climate mitigation; climate adaptation; climate finance; fiscal space; debt; NDCs; climate swap; debt risk; Debt-Climate swap; IMF working papers; climate investment; Debt conversion; Debt relief; Debt restructuring; Debt service; Global; debt swap operation; trilateral debt swaps; financial support; debt relief debt swap
Cover IMF Working Papers
Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in Small Developing States with Climate Vulnerabilities: Cost and Financing
Johanna Tiedemann
,
Veronica Piatkov
,
Dinar Prihardini
,
Juan Carlos Benitez
, and
Ms. Aleksandra Zdzienicka
Small Developing States (SDS) face substantial challenges in achieving sustainable development. Many of these challenges relate to the small size and limited diversification of their economies. SDS are also among the most vulnerable countries to the impact of climate change and natural disasters. Meeting SDS sustainable development goals goes hand-in-hand with building their climate resilience. But the additional costs to meet development and resilience objectives are substantial and difficult to finance. This work adapts the IMF SDG Costing methodology to capture the unique characteristics and challenges of climate-vulnerable SDS. It also zooms into financing options, estimating domestic tax potential and discussing the possibility of accessing ‘climate funds.’
Keywords:
Sustainable Development; Climate Resilience; Small Developing States.; WP; development goal; face difficulty; Growth-Climate Nexus; income group; Small Developing States; borrowing space; financial support; concentrate effort; face exposure; sectoral plan; private sector investment; Infrastructure; Income; Climate change; Global; Caribbean; East Africa; Middle East; North Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Belize: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Belize
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This 2019 Article IV Consultation with Belize focused on structural reforms to raise growth and social inclusion; strengthening resilience to natural disasters; balanced medium-term fiscal consolidation; tax reform; and strengthening financial oversight and anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism actions. Public debt remains above 90 percent of gross domestic product, the current account deficit is projected to remain large over the medium term, and international reserves are just below three months of imports of goods and services. The pace of structural reform has been slow. Downside risks, including from slower US growth, natural disasters, crime, and renewed pressures on correspondent banking relationships could weaken growth and financial stability. Belize is adapting its tax regime in response to concerns from multilateral institutions regarding potentially harmful features. Sustaining Belize’s recent economic expansion, spurring private investment, and facilitating structural diversification hinges on strengthening the business environment.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; authority; policy; policy priority; Belize; resilience building; tax framework; liability positions vis-à-vis nonresident; exchange regime; government's Fiscal Strategy; Natural disasters; Tourism; Fiscal stance; Public sector; Caribbean
Cover IMF Working Papers
Tourism In Belize: Ensuring Sustained Growth
Mr. Julian T Chow
Belize’s tourism sector has witnessed impressive growth in recent years with overnight tourist arrivals registering double digit annual growth rates since 2016. To guide the development of the tourism sector from 2012 to 2030, the government endorsed a National Sustainable Tourism Master Plan in 2011, setting various initiatives and targets for the immediate and medium terms. Using a panel regression analysis on twelve Caribbean countries, this paper finds that accelerating structural reforms, fortifying governance frameworks, reducing crime, and mitigating the impact of natural disasters will help sustain tourism growth in Belize and contribute to economic well-being. This is in addition to tackling infrastructure bottlenecks and mitigating concerns relating to the “shared economy”.
Keywords:
WP; tourism sector; sub; Belize; cruise tourism expenditure; tourism indicators performance; tourism competitiveness; tourism destination; tourism Arrivals; tourism value chain; Tourism; Natural disasters; Infrastructure; Caribbean; Central America
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Belize: Climate Change Policy Assessment
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
Belize is exceptionally vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. It already faces hurricanes, flooding, sea level rise, coastal erosion, coral bleaching, and droughts, with impacts likely to intensify given expected increases in weather volatility and sea temperature. Hence, planning for resilience-building, and engagement with development partners on environmental reforms, have been central to Belizean policymaking for many years, since well before Belize submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Accord in 2015. This Climate Change Policy Assessment (CCPA) takes stock of Belize’s plans to manage its climate response, from the perspective of their macroeconomic and fiscal implications. The CCPA is a joint initiative by the IMF and World Bank to assist small states to understand and manage the expected economic impact of climate change, while safeguarding long-run fiscal and external sustainability. It explores the possible impact of climate change and natural disasters on the macroeconomy and the cost of Belize’s planned response. It suggests macroeconomically relevant reforms that could strengthen the likelihood of success of the national strategy and identifies policy gaps and resource needs.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; financial support; insurance coverage; risk pooling; budget system; capital expenditure; international community; mitigation strategy; climate change; capital budget; renewable energy; waste management; Climate change; Natural disasters; Public investment and public-private partnerships (PPP); Greenhouse gas emissions; Public investment spending; Caribbean; Central America; Global
Cover Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean
Unleashing Growth and Strengthening Resilience in the Caribbean

Abstract

This book provides a diagnosis of the central economic and financial challenges facing Caribbean policymakers and offers broad policy recommendations for promoting a sustained and inclusive increase in economic well-being. The analysis highlights the need for Caribbean economies to make a concerted effort to break the feedback loops between weak macroeconomic fundamentals, notably pertaining to fiscal positions and financial sector strains, and structural impediments, such as high electricity costs, limited financial deepening, violent crime, and brain drain, which have depressed private investment and growth. A recurring theme in the book is the need for greater regional coordination in finding solutions to address the Caribbean’s shared and intertwined macroeconomic and structural challenges. The analysis suggests that strengthening regional and global market integration of Caribbean economies would provide an impetus to sustained growth in incomes and jobs. Greater regional and global economic integration would also facilitate structural transformation and a shift toward new economic activities, resulting in more diversified and less vulnerable economies. A central challenge for the Caribbean is thus to come together as a region, overcome the limitations posed by size, and garner the benefits of globalization. Efforts should build on existing regional arrangements; accelerating progress in implementing these agreements would stimulate trade. Policymakers could also promote deeper integration with Latin America and the rest of the world by pursuing new trade agreements, leveraging current agreements more effectively, or deepening them to include areas beyond traditional trade issues, and developing port and transport infrastructure.

Keywords:
BOOK; cost; bank; Caribbean economy; respondent bank; firm employment distribution; tourism flow; World Bank enterprise Survey; Nonperforming loans; Tax incentives; Natural disasters; Correspondent banking; Caribbean; Global; Central America; Europe
Cover IMF Working Papers
Caribbean Energy: Macro-Related Challenges
Arnold McIntyre
,
Ahmed El-Ashram
,
Mr. Márcio Valério Ronci
,
Julien Reynaud
,
Ms. Natasha X Che
,
Ke Wang
,
Mr. Sebastian Acevedo Mejia
, and
Mr. Mark Scott Lutz
High energy costs contribute to dampening Caribbean competitiveness and potential growth. This paper overviews power sector challenges and takes stock of national and regional strategies to address them. It presents recommendations to move the energy agenda forward based on analyses of macro-aspects of energy reform. These include: i) quantitative assessment of the impact of energy costs on growth and competitiveness; ii) evaluation of gains from implementing announced renewable energy and energy efficiency targets; and iii) analysis of the impact of energy investments on debt sustainability. The paper argues for a bigger role for the private sector in energy reform and discusses prerequisites for good public-private partnerships.
Keywords:
WP; electric energy; oil price; Energy Reform; Oil Price Shocks; Caribbean; Economic Growth; Renewable Energy; Energy Efficiency; Public Investment; Infrastructure; Debt Sustainability; PPP; cost saving; core inflation; energy efficiency cost curve; financing terms; net exporter; recovery mechanism; generation cost assumption; fuel cost recovery mechanism; capital cost; oil price development; energy investment; Oil prices; Energy sector; Energy prices; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Belize: Use of Fund Resources: Request for Emergency Assistance: Staff Report; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Belize
International Monetary Fund
The staff report for Belize’s use of Fund Resources and Request for Emergency Assistance is examined. Economic growth has been sustained largely by rising oil production, while inflation has remained under control. Despite rising oil production, economic growth has been low in 2007, in part because of the impact of Hurricane Dean. The authorities are confident that the banking system is stable and adequately capitalized, and largely insulated from international market turmoil.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; IMF financial support; emergency assistance from the IMF; financial support; balance of payments impact; projections show; financial market turmoil; Natural disasters; Emergency assistance; Debt service; Global; Caribbean