Germany, Norway and Great Britain are pledging five billion dollars by 2020
The three largest donors in international forest protection, Germany, Norway and Great Britain will step up their joint funding for the conservation and restoration of tropical forests. At the climate change conference in Paris, the three governments declared that they will make available five billion dollars from 2015 to 2020. Germany pledged about 1.1 billion US dollars.
In doing so, these three countries are making a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gases. In return they expect ambitious plans from emerging economies and developing countries for the protection of their forests, which adhere to social and ecological standards.
The three donors, for example, have formed a partnership with Colombia, which has distinguished itself through ambitious forest protection policies. In this context Colombia announced that it will halt forest loss by 2020. Germany, Norway and Great Britain promised their support for this endeavour in Paris. Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and Federal Minister for Development Gerd Müller signed a corresponding agreement over up to 100 million US dollars. Pursuant to the agreement, Colombia will receive five US dollars for every tonne of avoided CO2 that it can provide proof for.
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented: "Forest protection is an important element of our climate action efforts. We want to finalise an agreement on common rules on forest protection in Paris. Now we have to implement them, because in order to prevent dangerous climate change, we have to stop the loss of forests all around the world."
Minister for Development Gerd Müller added: "Without plants there is no life, without forests there is no air for us to breathe. The protection of tropical rainforests in particular is a task for international development policy. Germany accepts its responsibility and will not leave the people in developing countries alone in their efforts to protect the forests."