Content

Issues

Fuming chimney against blue sky. Copyright: willi/Fotolia.com

Protecting the climate

Climate change and development: the challenge

The impacts of the greenhouse effect are being felt all over the world. As the prime contributors to climate change, the industrialised countries must accept particular responsibility for climate protection. However, their efforts to limit climate change will not succeed without the participation of the developing countries. Sustainable and globally effective solutions can only be realised in the context of international cooperation. As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Germany is committed to assisting the developing countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change and financing climate protection measures. In 2009, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) provided around one billion euros for climate protection and adaptation in developing countries, and plans to increase these resources further.

more

International policies on climate and development

A globally effective climate policy can only be realised in the context of international cooperation. The international community is therefore currently negotiating a global agreement with binding targets for climate protection. At present, the bases for this international cooperation are the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, which sets binding climate protection targets for the industrialised countries to 2012.

more

Climate protection and adaptation in developing countries

In order to achieve sustainable development progress in the poor countries, climate change must be integrated immediately into national policies and into the development cooperation which supports them. The Programme of Action on "Climate and Development" launched by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) sums this up as follows: "Development progress is destroyed if floods and droughts pose a threat to security and people are forced to leave their homes. Sustainable economic growth is essential for poverty reduction; however, a form of growth which bypasses the poor and further accelerates the process of climate change does not serve the major objective of ensuring that everyone can live in security and in freedom from poverty."

more

Financial support – instruments and institutions

To enable the developing countries to implement measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and facilitating adaptation to climate change, the Bali Action Plan, adopted in 2007, contains pledges on financial support. The German government has already substantially increased its financial support for mitigation, adaptation to climate change and technology transfer, notably during the period 2004-2008. In the 2009 federal budget, the sum of around one billion euros was earmarked for this purpose from the budget of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) alone, with a further 120 million euros coming from the budget of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

more

Further information on climate protection

Here you will find a selection of links to documents and websites with further information on climate protection in the context of development cooperation.

more


Service-Links & Content-List

Ministry

What we do

Press room

Publications

Services

BMZ glossary
Close window

Facebook Twitter MySpace Favorites Mister Wong Google