General Responsibilities
- Advise the Government on the formulation of policies relating to good management of natural resources and the environment;
- Play a major role in providing the direction for long-term sustainable development based on the promotion or incorporation of ecological concerns in the economic development process;
- Ensure the protection and rational use of natural resources for the benefit of the present and future generations
- Foster, through inter-ministerial cooperation, the prudent use and proper management of the natural resources of Belize, the control of pollution of the natural environment and the re-establishment of an ecological equilibrium, where needed, so as to guarantee a better quality of life for present and future generations;
- Provide information and education to the public regarding the importance of protection and improvement of the environment;
- Undertake investigations and inspections to ensure compliance with this Act or the regulations made thereunder;
- Issue the necessary licenses, with or without conditions, for use for the exercise of activities that may cause pollution;
- Prevent and control pollution by coordinating all activities relating to the discharge of wastes into the environment;
- Be responsible for the continuous and long-term assessment of natural resources and of pollution;
- To work closely with local, regional and international agencies and organizations on environmental issues; and
- To develop and promulgate new regulations and standards for the prevention and control of pollution aimed at ensuring a greater and healthier quality of life for all Belizeans.
Environmental Protection Strategies
The Department’s major tasks will be to recommend national policies which will promote improvements in environmental quality, to recommend priorities among environmental programs and to assist in achieving international cooperation in dealing with environmental problems. The strategies of the Department are centered on:
- Promoting environmental planning, especially for key areas of development such as the coastal zone /islands and tourism sites;
- Establishing and enforcing standards for pollution control;
- Reviewing and revising, as necessary, existing environmental legislation and regulations as well as strengthening their enforcement;
- Strengthening the coordination of environmental activities between government and non-government organizations;
- Establishing, upgrading and maintaining information systems to store data and other information on the environment so as to facilitate planning and monitoring;
- Facilitating public participation in environmental issues, through public education campaigns and district outreach activities, in order to encourage community based environmental planning and enforcement of regulations; and
- Ensuring that the Government’s Environmental Impact Assessment procedures are implemented
Contact Information
Location: Green Building Complex, Ground Floor #2557 Hummingbird Highway, City of Belmopan, Belize
Telephone number: +(501) 822-2548 or 822-2819
Email address: envirodept@environment.gov.bz
Website: https://doe.gov.bz/
Social Media Pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DOEBelize
Instagram: https://instagram.com/doe_belize
Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC3hfRO-TZRkmjELXFDWXjBg
Ozone: https://www.ozone.gov.bz/