BELMOPAN, Belize — The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) this week, officially broke ground to construct its new state-of-the-art headquarters at the University of Belize (UB) Belmopan Campus, marking a significant milestone in advancing regional climate resilience.
This landmark development held on Wednesday, solidified a deeper, long-term partnership between the CCCCC and the University of Belize, creating meaningful opportunities for students, benefiting the wider Belizean community, and advancing climate resilience efforts across Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by key regional leaders, including, CARICOM Deputy Secretary General Armstrong Alexis, Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño; Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and CARICOM Lead Head of Government for Sustainable Development (including Environment and Disaster Management and Water) in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, Philip Pierre; as well as Ministers from Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, and Grenada.
Beyond serving as the new headquarters for the CCCCC, this new facility will serve as a central hub for climate action in the Caribbean, strengthening the CCCCC’s ability to expand its operations and bolster national and regional efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
“Today marks a significant milestone because it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the CCCCC. This event showcases the essential role of strategic partnerships in the delivery of our mandates. With this partnership, climate resilience, sustainability and adaptation in the Caribbean will take precedence. And while it may seem as though it has taken us 20 years to get to this point, nothing happens before its time,” said Colin Young, the Executive Director of the CCCCC in his address .
The construction of CCCCC’s permanent home on the grounds of the Belmopan campus is being called a “homecoming” of sorts, because in its first days, the CCCCC was situated in one room at said University for its humble beginnings.
Dr. Vincent Palacio, President of the University of Belize happily welcomed CCCCC “back home”.
“The University of Belize has allocated five acres of its campus to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre because we understand that education must engage directly with national development. Climate change is not an abstract issue—it is here, and our response must be rooted in institutions that serve,” he said.
This follows the formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UB and the CCCCC, which “provides the framework for shared research, technical training, and deeper academic collaboration. This facility gives that work a permanent and focused base.”
Reflecting on the long journey to this milestone, Prime Minister Briceño expressed a deep sense of fulfilment: “When it comes to the CCCCC, I feel a true sense of accomplishment. Twenty years later, we are finally here at the University of Belize, breaking ground for its headquarters. This vision began as far back as 1998 under the leadership of Prime Minister Said Musa, when I served as Minister of Natural Resources. He entrusted me with the task of championing Belize’s bid to host the Centre.”
The Prime Minister extended his gratitude to the leaders who supported this vision, offering special recognition to the late Former Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, for graciously withdrawing Barbados’ bid and paving the way for Belize to become home to the CCCCC.
Prime Minister Briceño described the University of Belize as the ideal home for the CCCCC, emphasizing the natural synergy between the two institutions.
“UB is the most fitting location for the Centre,” he said. “There is immense potential for collaboration, as both institutions are grounded in learning, research, and innovation. With some of the region’s leading climate scientists based here, their expertise can be shared with students through guest lectures and joint research initiatives. This partnership not only enriches the academic environment at UB but also positions Belize as a regional hub for climate education, attracting students and researchers from across the Caribbean and Central America to learn about the pressing challenges we face in combating climate change.”
Sharing his sentiment, Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Pierre called on his Minister of Education Shawn Edward to take up the challenge of getting more Saint Lucian students enrolled at UB to the benefit of the country.
“I’m very pleased to be here…to observe this and take part in this groundbreaking ceremony. It is an alliance between the University of Belize and the CCCCC. I see that as the start of the construction of a Centre of Excellence… A Centre where there can be rigorous, intellectual debate. A Centre of research where we can sit with our academics, intellectuals, people who are at the forefront of climate change and work to get some homegrown solutions to the climate crisis…
“We need to work out some solutions that will cause less loss and damage after these events. The only people that can do that are people who are from the region, people who understand the region and people who have the intellectual rigor to find these solutions,” Pierre said.
Highlighting Saint Lucia’s ambitious program to achieve one university graduate per household, Pierre announced that, upon his directive to Shawn Edwards, Minister of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, immediate discussions will commence with the University of Belize to explore opportunities for Saint Lucian students.
Describing the University of Belize as “CARICOM’s best kept secret,” he expressed his hope that many students from Saint Lucia will soon be collaborating and studying there.
In response, Briceño affirmed the country’s commitment, stating, “While you have challenged your Minister of Education, I can confidently say that Belize stands ready to offer scholarships to deserving students from Saint Lucia.”
