25.10.2017

GIZ at the COP23: Climate protection in concrete terms

From Fiji to Viet Nam, the effects of climate change are already being felt worldwide. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is working in over 100 countries to develop solutions; one in three of its projects addresses climate-related issues.

The COP23 UN Climate Change Conference in November is therefore an important event for GIZ. This is where international policy-makers will meet with the express purpose of developing climate protection measures based on the resolutions of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The host of this year’s event is the island nation of Fiji, a place where the impacts of climate change are already very real. Houses are already flooding due to the rising sea levels. GIZ has provided support for the resettlement of one of the villages which have been impacted. According to estimates in the Pacific, more than 100 communities will be forced to resettle. At the UN Climate Change Conference, Fiji will be presenting a model for sustainable and fair resettlement which was developed in cooperation with GIZ.

The approaches that countries are using to adapt to the impacts of climate change will once again be in focus at this year’s COP. GIZ is supporting numerous governments in this regard, including in Honduras. Half of the country is covered in forests and the effects of climate change have been particularly pronounced here. Severe storms and flooding are adversely impacting the population and placing their livelihoods at risk. GIZ is cooperating with smallholder farmers on this issue to protect forests and to mitigate climate change. On behalf of the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ is assisting farmers in sustainably managing forests, producing climate-adapted corn and bean crops, and marketing forest products. In return, the farmers are protecting the forests against illegal logging activities and forest fires. Through these measures, 30,000 people from poorer sections of the population are now able to earn an income and provide for their families.

The increasing frequency of droughts and floods brought about by climate change is threatening harvests and placing the livelihoods of smallholders at risk. Climate insurance is one of the instruments that have been developed to protect individuals from these dangers. GIZ has found this solution to be effective in various countries, such as Peru. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), experts provided their support in developing insurance policies which allow farmers to safeguard themselves against climate-related risks. Around 30,000 farmers are now benefiting from this form of insurance, receiving compensation in the event of crop losses due to extreme weather events. This financial support protects them from ruin by providing the resources needed to purchase new seed and secure their livelihood.

More energy is consumed in cities than anywhere else on Earth. Today, over half of the world’s population resides in urban areas, and these individuals are constantly on the move. Mobility in cars, buses and trucks significantly contributes to air pollution and it can lead cities to the brink of total gridlock. On behalf of the German Federal Government, GIZ is working in China to promote sustainable mobility concepts such as car sharing – together with car2go. This concept has already attracted over 210,000 users in one of China’s large metropolises. More than one shared car is reserved in the city every minute, which helps mitigate climate change, reduces traffic loads and improves air quality. Environmentally friendly mobility is an important issue in India, too. For example, the New Delhi metro network, which partially runs on solar power. By the end of 2017, it is planned that there will be enough solar panels installed on the roofs of metro stations for the network to largely power itself. Since 2000, GIZ has helped to reduce CO2 emissions in India by more than 163 million tonnes. This figure is greater than the annual emissions produced by all of Germany’s modes of transport combined.

GIZ experts will be addressing these and further climate-related projects from across the globe at the UN Climate Change Conference. We would be happy to arrange interviews with our experts to discuss these issues. We also encourage you to visit our events at the UN Climate Change Conference and to enter into dialogue with our specialists.

Sustainable mobility: From Ambition to Action: Decarbonising Transport in Germany and Abroad (10 November 2017, 9:00- 16:00, GIZ Meander Building, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36)
Young people from various Pacific islands report on climate change: Our World – Our Future (10 November 2017, 13:30 – 14:30, Climate Planet, Rheinauen Bonn)
Adapting to the impacts of climate change: Adaptation now - but how? How Climate Research in the Polar Regions Is Influencing Adaptation Strategies for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) (11 November 2017, 10:00 – 13:00, GIZ Meander Building, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36)
Climate risk insurance: Where are the Limits? Putting Climate Risk Insurance in Perspective (11 November 2017, 16:30 – 18:00, Deutsche Welle)
Official GIZ side event: Policy and finance to achieve transformation (13 November 2017, 18:30– 20:00, Bonn Zone, Meeting Room 11 (100)) – for registered participants only
National adaptation strategies: NDC Implementation – Bridging the Gap from Climate Change Policy to Sector Approach (13 November 2017, 11:00- 14:00, GIZ Meander Building, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36)

A complete overview of GIZ’s events and topics at the Climate Change Conference can be found at www.giz.de/klimakonferenz.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federal enterprise with worldwide operations. We support the German Government in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. We are also engaged in international education activities around the globe. Through our work we assist people and societies in shaping their own future and improving living conditions.