The Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Foreign Office, acting on behalf of the German Government, announced today at the World Climate Conference (COP29) that a total contribution of 60 million euro – 30 million euro from each of the two ministries – will be made to the Adaptation Fund. Germany is thus once more making a significant contribution towards financing adaptation to climate change and therefore also to global resilience and stability. The Fund supports those countries which are most at risk from the climate crisis to prepare for the impact of global warming, thus averting future climate damage through anticipatory action. Germany is the largest donor to this central multilateral instrument for climate adaptation financing.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke remarked: "For many years, the Adaptation Fund projects have been providing targeted support to countries that have been particularly hard hit by the impacts of the climate crisis. These specific adaptation measures are already helping at local level. In many of our projects with partner countries, we combine climate adaptation with local biodiversity conservation through nature-based solutions. These are two of the German Government’s top priorities. Together, we are helping partner countries to become more resilient to the climate crisis and to protect their natural resources."
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock: "The impact of climate change is becoming ever more visible: killer storms, monumental floods, large scale droughts and rising sea levels are a sad reality. And this affects us all, for climate change poses a threat to our vital natural resources on a global scale. It is therefore increasingly important that we strengthen the resilience of both humankind and nature in the face of the effects of climate change. That is why we are increasing Germany’s contribution to the international Adaptation Fund – an investment in our shared vital natural resources and an important message of solidarity with the countries hardest hit by the impact of climate change."
Background information
The international Adaptation Fund supports those countries which are most at risk from the climate crisis to prepare for the impact of global warming, thus averting future climate damage through anticipatory action. The Fund is therefore also a key instrument for investing in global stability and security.
Since 2010, the Fund has made available a total of around 1.2 billion US dollars for projects geared to tackle climate change adaptation. This encompasses more than 180 concrete projects for more than 45 million beneficiaries in the communities most at risk in the world’s developing countries. Since the Fund was established in 2007, Germany has been the largest donor in cumulative terms, having contributed more than 640 million US dollars since the Funds foundation.
The Adaptation Fund has a number of innovative approaches, for instance in the spheres of funding, rules of procedure and the governance structure. The Fund is jointly administered by developing and industrialised countries and was the first multilateral fund to offer accredited project implementing organisations in partner countries direct access to funding.
Under the International Climate Initiative (IKI) founded in 2008, Germany has provided targeted funding for the Adaptation Fund and other adaptation projects in partner countries. Since 2008, the IKI has made available funding for a total of 168 projects to the tune of 840 million euro in the field of adaptation in addition to the support given to the Adaptation Fund. When it comes to implementing adaptation measures, the IKI prioritises the promotion of national adaptation plans NAPs and the concept of ecosystem-based adaptation. The Adaptation Fund is one of several instruments that Germany is using to support climate adaptation financing in developing countries.