Joint press release with the KfW
On behalf of the Federal Environment Ministry, the promotional bank KfW has launched a new support initiative aimed at advancing climate protection activities worldwide, with a special focus on newly industrialising and developing countries. The project ties in with the Programme of Activities (PoA) under the Kyoto Protocol, and aims to identify and reduce small-scale sources of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. The KfW will make the experience gained available to interested countries through a PoA Support Centre, and assist them in the development of suitable climate protection programmes.
A large share of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused directly or indirectly by small-scale sources: in small companies, private households, public areas or traffic. These areas also hold major potential for particularly cost-effective emission reductions, for instance energy efficiency measures, use of renewable energies, switching to other fuels and waste management. Furthermore, in developing countries especially, this kind of micro-activity often contributes to sustainable development. One example is replacing inefficient, harmful wood burners with modern biogas stoves, others include solar-powered warm water supply, the use of energy-saving light bulbs and efficient boilers in small companies, and the energy-saving modernisation of buildings.
The PoA concept was developed in order to tap this very potential. PoAs enable small to medium sized enterprises to make use of market-based incentives under the Kyoto Protocol: the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) andJoint Implementation (JI).
PoAs help reduce greenhouse gases by uniting a large number of individual measures in one project. The CDM and JI revenues are used to finance the necessary incentive measures for suitable small-scale actions. For example, price reductions for efficient lamps, grants for biogas plants and reduced interest loans for solar systems.
Through its PoA Support Centre Germany, the KfW offers assistance and advice on the development of PoAs and evaluates PoA proposals. The centre is geared towards interested companies, organisations and public bodies in CDM and JI host countries, as well as energy suppliers, banks and interregional NGOs.
On 11 December the Federal Environment Ministry and the KfW will jointly present the Support Centre and initiative at the Climate Change Conference in Poznan.