Global IKI Networking Event on Climate and Biodiversity Finance
The first Global IKI Networking Event for IKI finance projects in Berlin sparked collaboration, fresh ideas and new momentum for joint action.
On June 10th, 2025, more than 80 representatives from nearly 20 countries – including members from over 40 IKI-funded projects, implementing organisations, German ministries, and the project management agency of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) – gathered in Berlin for the first-ever Global IKI Networking Event on Climate and Biodiversity Finance.
The goal of the milestone event, organised by the Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and ZUG, was to strengthen collaboration across the IKI portfolio and co-create tangible solutions for mobilising finance in line with international climate, biodiversity, and forest commitments.
In their opening remarks, Constanze Haug, Managing Director of ZUG, and Philipp Behrens, Head of Division for the International Climate Initiative at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy emphasised the power of collective action. Both highlighted IKI’s unique role in catalysing climate finance at scale—connecting local innovation with global ambition.
A keynote speech by Andrew Johnstone, CEO of Climate Fund Managers, set an ambitious tone for the day, urging participants to move decisively from intention to implementation.
From Inspiration to Action: Marketplace, Mission Labs, and Collaborative Visions
Following the plenary, participants engaged in a series of interactive sessions designed to spark peer exchange and share practical experience and generate joint ideas. In a dynamic Marketplace session, IKI projects presented their work, networked across thematic areas, and identified potential synergies.
Building on these exchanges, the Mission Labs offered a space for deeper dives into strategic priorities. These sessions were enriched by insights from Mareile Drechsler (Federal Foreign Office) and Ralf Becker (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection), who shared reflections from climate and biodiversity finance in international negotiations.
Within the marketplace and Mission Lab session project representatives and policy officers co-developed practical concepts and concrete ideas for joint actions to mobilise finance in line with international frameworks such as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
An open and lively Fishbowl discussion allowed project teams to engage directly with representatives from German ministries, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and civil society. The dialogue focused on how IKI can continue to empower its implementers to navigate complex political landscapes and scale their impact.
The event successfully marked the beginning of further exchange. The event concluded with remarks from Nicole Wilke, Head of Division for Global Financing of the Transformation and Market Mechanisms at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, who emphasized the spirit of collaboration, and the momentum generated throughout the day.
Conclusion: A Catalyst for Climate and Biodiversity Action
The event sparked new partnerships and reinforced IKI’s pivotal role in advancing transformative climate and biodiversity finance. By turning global ambitions into effective strategies, it also marked a collaborative effort poised to drive lasting collective impact.
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Contact
IKI Office
Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH
Stresemannstraße 69-71
10963 Berlin