November 20, 2025, 07:41November 20, 2025, 07:41
Germany is providing one billion euros over a period of ten years for a new fund to protect the rainforest. This was announced by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider and Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan at the World Climate Conference in Belém. “It’s about protecting the tropical rainforests, the lungs of our world,” explained both SPD politicians.
Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider speaks in Brazil. Image: AP
Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva had previously reported on Germany’s contribution. Your government has launched the tropical forest fund and called on all countries to make contributions.
Exactly how much money Germany will give was eagerly awaited. During his short visit to Brazil, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) only announced a “significant sum” without being more specific.
Rainforests are important as the “green lungs of the earth” because they bind large amounts of climate-damaging greenhouse gases, cool the climate through evaporation of water and are also home to many animal and plant species. In many places they are threatened by deforestation to create agricultural or pasture land or to mine gold.
Funds important for the host
For the Brazilian government, the fund called the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is a prestige project that it wants to make a success of as host of the UN conference. Countries that preserve their forests should be rewarded according to the new model. Conversely, they should pay a fine for every hectare of forest destroyed. This would be checked using satellite images.
Annually, the fund with a target volume of 125 billion US dollars (around 108 billion euros) could distribute around four billion US dollars after a certain start-up period – at least that is what the Brazilian government has in mind. That would be almost three times the current volume of international forest financial aid.
Norway has already announced that it will pay $3 billion into the fund over ten years. Brazil itself will contribute a billion US dollars, and Indonesia also wants to contribute a billion. Both countries have large tropical forests. In addition to Brazil, the founding members include Colombia, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia and Malaysia.
The fund is managed by an executive board from 18 countries – half tropical forest countries and half industrialized countries. The World Bank initially steps in as trustee. According to the Executive Board’s guidelines, it transfers the funds to countries with tropical forests; It also provides an extra secretariat.
A good 70 developing countries could benefit
A good 70 developing countries could benefit. The recipients can decide for themselves how exactly the money will be used. However, an important commitment is that 20 percent is made available specifically for indigenous peoples and traditional communities.
According to Brazil, in the first week of November, at the official launch, the initiative was already supported by 53 countries, including 19 potential state investors. According to Brazil’s ideas, rich countries should voluntarily pay in an initial amount of 25 billion US dollars. This foundation will be used to mobilize a further $100 billion from the private sector over the next few years. The managers of the tropical forest fund should invest the money as sustainably as possible; projects using fossil fuels are taboo.
Greenpeace praises German support
The executive board of Greenpeace Germany, Martin Kaiser, welcomed the German support. This political signal could help make COP30 a success. Minister Schneider managed to resolve the irritation surrounding the lack of a concrete commitment from the Chancellor.
Martin Kaiser, Managing Director of Greenpeace Germany.Image: DPA
Kaiser demanded that the German contribution be subject to clear conditions. The money that the investment fund is supposed to generate for forest protection should not come from investments that are harmful to the climate and the environment. “Direct support for indigenous communities must be guaranteed and the protection of intact forests must be better secured.” (sda/dpa)