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The Belize Barrier Reef is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Corals, clear water and beautiful sand make this site a fantasy scene.
It had this effect on people all over the world and was officially recognized as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in 1996. Impressed by its beauty, the committee wrote " Distinctive because of its size, the lush coral thrives in immaculate condition … The spectacular spectacular natural scenery of shiny white sand cays and green mangrove cays is in dramatic contrast to the surrounding azure waters. "
But things are not as good as it seemed years ago. In 2009, the Belize Barrier Reef was added to the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. The place was degrading at a frightening rate, and much of the trauma was felt by the corals themselves.
Coral reefs are not only a safe haven for millions of sea-bound creatures, but they also serve the important role of saving the shoreline from damage from waves and storms. Their ability to set oxygen and nitrogen levels also allows marine life to flourish.
Excessive contamination and pollution from oil drilling, logging companies, and unsustainable shoreline developments have shifted the balance of the reef in just a few months.
The Belize Barrier Reef is not just a small place. It is the second largest coral reef in the world and is only passed by the majestic Great Barrier Reef.
As a whole, Belize's coral reef is home to 400 islands, vast mangroves, three atolls, numerous estuaries and lagoons. So, if a place of this magnitude was to suffer damage that almost destroyed it, one can imagine how much torture the place would have suffered.
However, thanks to the constant efforts of the Belizean government, the coral reef is making a comeback. With an informal referendum organized in 2012 by environmental groups like WWF and Oceana, 96% of participants voted against offshore drilling activity when they realized that marine assets were in danger because of the lack of water. 39, offshore oil industry.
Teams of specialists were trained to evaluate, study and build a solution to the problem in question. In 2017, lawmakers finally passed a historic moratorium on oil exploration in Belize waters, making it one of the first developing countries to consider protecting the natural environment of the ocean at the expense of lucrative fossil fuels.
The government has stopped all oil exploration since December 2009.
Considering these efforts, the UNESCO Council hailed the "visionary plan of the country to manage the coastline" and stated that "the level of The conservation we were hoping for was "Very few countries would make such bold decisions, especially when this may affect the global economy because of the involvement of lucrative fossil fuel reserves. However, Belize has a much more profitable solution in its sleeves – Tourism.
The site is home to approximately 1,400 species of turtles, crocodiles, manatees and attracts many tourists. Tourism contributes about 10% of the country's GDP. In addition, half of the country's population depends on tourism or fishing for their livelihood.
More importantly, the decision to protect the environment is extremely wise and is also beneficial from an economic point of view. , id) {
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