BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) officially broke ground this week 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 the 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.