Germany has pledged 60 million euros to the Adaptation Fund at the World Climate Conference in Belém. The fund supports countries heavily affected by climate change. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider emphasized the need to aid vulnerable nations.
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) announced Germany's 60 million euro contribution to the Adaptation Fund at the UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil. The fund aims to help developing countries adapt to climate change, such as through early warning systems for extreme weather or climate-resilient farming methods.
"We will continue to support particularly vulnerable countries," Schneider said. He referred to the previous year's decision in Baku, under which developing countries should receive around 260 billion euros annually by 2035 to implement climate protection and adaptation measures. Schneider warned: "Where societies cannot adapt to the new climate conditions, hunger, poverty threaten, and people will be forced to leave their homes."
Climate change leads to more frequent extreme events like floods, droughts, wildfires, and storms, as well as the spread of dangerous infectious diseases. Developing countries are demanding a tripling of aid payments to 103 billion euros annually by 2030 at the ongoing conference.
Germany had already pledged 60 million euros in Baku last year. Over the past 18 years, the fund has deployed 1.2 billion euros for around 200 projects in 108 countries, reaching more than 50 million people. As the largest donor, Germany provides grants, not loans.
Aid organizations welcomed the pledge. "Germany has been a reliable donor for years, showing the federal government is taking responsibility for the most vulnerable populations," said Sabine Minninger from Bread for the World. Oxfam expert Jan Kowalzig noted that it puts pressure on other countries to contribute. The conference in Belém, with delegates from more than 190 countries, runs until November 21.