Blue Bonds in Belize
Provided by: PBS|Published on: February 25, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Biology, Economics
Authors: Michelle Blanchet, PBS Learning Media
Region: South and Central America
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this lesson from PBS, students will learn how blue bonds are being used in Belize to help them with their national debt while encouraging ocean conservation.
- The resource includes opportunities for students to create a podcast recording about a financial concept, calculate simple interest to understand refinancing, and research other examples of blue bond projects.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Video of the reef and the life it holds keeps students engaged and helps them understand the importance of conservation.
- Students will love demonstrating their knowledge with the creative podcast project!
Prerequisites
- The video mentions warming oceans. If students are unfamiliar with warming oceans, teachers can use this lesson to build students' background knowledge.
- Depending on students' familiarity with concepts like national debt, loans, or bonds, teachers may need to spend additional time going over these terms before watching the video.
- Under the Research and Report: Blue Bond Projects Around the World section, the Media Literacy Tips link is broken.
- Students should know how to calculate simple interest.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can refer to this article for more climate finance solutions.
- If students are researching other large-scale blue bond projects around the world, as suggested in the resource, they may also want to research how climate change is impacting the region they are studying.
- Teachers can use this resource to make connections to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 14, Life Below Water.
This lesson explains what Blue Bonds are and how they provide countries with high debt and abundant natural resources an opportunity to invest in conservation and the environment. Students will learn about loans and financials, as well as the importance of prioritizing and caring for the environment. These bonds are an example of how different organizations can come together to care for our climate and environment. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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