On 9 March in Berlin the President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed and Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen agreed on intensifying cooperation. Environment Minister Röttgen stated: "Cooperation with countries especially threatened by climate change such as the Maldives is a particular concern for me. I am glad that today President Nasheed and I had an opportunity to talk about further progress in international climate negotiations and the expansion of bilateral environmental cooperation between our two countries".
The Maldives are particularly threatened by climate change and thus have to make substantial adaptation efforts. They have also launched the ambitious goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2020. The Federal Environment Ministry will therefore look into which Maldivian climate projects could be supported in the years to come under its International Climate Initiative.
With the Initiative launched in 2008 the Federal Environment Ministry finances projects on emissions reduction, conservation of biological diversity and adaptation to climate change in developing, newly industrializing and transition countries. Emissions trading revenues are the source for project financing.