Project Portfolio

Since 2008, the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) cooperates with partner countries in the practical implementation of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation measures. Since its establishment, it has launched more than 500 climate and biodiversity projects. The total project volume since 2008 amounts to 2.3 billion euro. The resources for international climate and biodiversity activities have grown steadily since the programme was launched. Whereas some 170 million euro was available for on-going projects in 2008, by 2014 the figure had risen to 318 million euro. In recent years, the German Government has steadily increased its commitments to climate change mitigation measures.

The projects are carried out by a broad range of implementing organisations: the German Government's major implementing organisations Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and KfW Entwicklungsbank, multilateral organisations like United Nations organisations and multilateral development banks, NGOs, research institutes, foundations and private companies.

IKI focuses on four funding areas:

The projects look for innovative solutions to the challenges and develop new political, economic and regulatory approaches, as well as technological options and cooperation models. The solutions are meant to have impacts that go beyond the individual project and to be transferable.

Breakdown of project portfolio by theme

About 52 per cent of IKIs funding (1455 million euros) is currently allocated to projects that contribute to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. They focus on energy efficiency and renewable energies as well as promoting the design and implementation of low emission development strategies (LEDS) and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs).

Climate change adaptation projects currently amount for 21 per cent of the total support volume (589 million euros). They focus on ecosystem-based adaptation, and also on supporting partner countries in developing and implementing national adaptation strategies and on innovative insurance solutions.

About 13 per cent of IKI funding (378 million euros) is allocated to projects in the field of REDD+ and other carbon reservoirs such as peatlands and boreal forests.

The conservation of biodiversity has been a co-benefit arising from numerous IKI projects. Since 2011, it is a dedicated focus of support. To date, 11 per cent of IKI’s funds (301 million euros) are allocated to this area. Activities concentrate on implementing the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Aichi Targets.

Three per cent (82 million euros) of IKI’s funds are allocated to administrative costs.

Additionally, BMU contributes to the Adaption Fund and the Green Climate Fund.

Breakdown of project portfolio by region

The IKI's projects are distributed across many partner countries. In addition to bilateral and regional projects, the initiative supports projects with a global focus with 1313 million euros of IKI's total funds. The graphic shows the regional distribution.

The IKI in international climate and biodiversity policy

The IKI is not only intended to spur concrete reform and transformation processes in partner countries. It also aims to generate momentum for negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) through targeted cooperation with partner countries. For example, IKI projects demonstrate how decisions resulting from the climate or biodiversity negotiations can be implemented on the ground, thus linking negotiations with actions. Some of the projects directly prepare partners to negotiate relevant topics. They strengthen partner countries through targeted negotiation training, networking measures and scientific analyses as a basis for making decisions and by helping to develop regional or national positions.

The IKI itself is an example of how climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation can be financed.