BELIZE CITY, Tuesday, October 28, 2025
What does Belize City have in common with the likes of Oslo, Jakarta, and São Paulo? For the first time ever, the Old Capital joins a prestigious group of cities nominated for the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders award, which precedes the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, set to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mayor Bernard Wagner announced the news with great enthusiasm, and informed that he and members of his team are set to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this Saturday to take part in the awards ceremony set for Tuesday, November 4.
The 26 finalists were announced on October 9 by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable organization founded by Michael R. Bloomberg and which supports global initiatives in public health, education, the environment, the arts and government innovation.
Belize City was nominated in the category of clean, reliable transportation along with four other cities. The category recognizes innovations “moving people and goods on dependable, low-emissions networks.” Overall, the Bloomberg Philanthropies awards recognize the best policies, projects and programs spearheaded by local leaders, states and regions, effectively addressing climate change in the last three years. In naming the finalists, Bloomberg Philanthropies highlighted that the awards recognize “the exemplary and critical role mayors and local leaders play across the globe in accelerating global climate progress on the road to COP30.”
Mayor Wagner’s leadership was recognized for the eMobility Pilot Project which saw the introduction of electric buses, charging stations and smart transit technology to reduce emissions while improving air quality and demonstrating the benefits of electric transport. Shortly after the finalists were announced, the Belize City Council underscored its plan to expand the e-Bus and eTaxi fleets, grow the charging network and integrate solar power to make the project scalable and self-sustaining. Mayor Wagner today remarked, “Belize City, a small little city of 70,000, is a finalist in the Bloomberg Philanthropies under the e-mobility project!” He reported that ridership of the two e-buses operating in Belize City has reached 231,000 since July of 2024, with revenue ascending to half a million dollars. “We have found out that the cost is one third of what the diesel buses would have cost us,” he added.
The 26 finalists were selected from a global pool of over 160 applications across 45 countries. Michael R. Bloomberg, who is also the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, stated at the time of the announcement of the finalists: “Climate change is a global challenge, but effective solutions often start at the local level – where great ideas can take root and spread from city to city.” He noted that each of the finalists is “taking bold action to cut emissions, improve public health, and spur economic growth – demonstrating how much progress is possible when leaders work together across cities, countries, and the public and private sectors.”
COP30 CEO, Ana Toni said the finalists have showcased that bold, collaborative efforts transform people’s lives and communities, and “accelerate our path to a low-carbon economy.” The awards are held in collaboration with C40 cities, whose Executive Director, Mark Watts described the finalists as trailblazers in “slashing emissions and building resilience whilst improving people’s daily lives.”
The award winners will be selected by a group of 7 distinguished global leaders and policymakers recognized for their impactful work in urban innovation, climate action, and public service. The winners will be selected based on how effectively they connect climate policy to everyday lives, and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards is in its 9th edition. The other five categories include Energy Transition and Smarter Buildings; Safer Infrastructure for a Changing World; Healthy Cities, Strong Communities; Sustainable Waste Solutions; and Power of Partnership.
