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Combating climate change: Federal Ministers Westerwelle, Altmaier and Niebel present German bid to host the Green Climate Fund

20.09.2012 - Press release

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Environment Minister Peter Altmaier and Development Minister Dirk Niebel welcomed more than 70 Ambassadors from around the world to a reception in the Federal Foreign Office today (20 September). The three Cabinet Ministers jointly outlined the German bid to host the headquarters of the Green Climate Fund in the city of Bonn. The numerous guests from the spheres of politics, research and business included Bonn Mayor Jürgen Nimptsch.

The Green Climate Fund was launched in 2011, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban. Its objective is to help finance measures in developing countries and emerging economies aimed at reducing emissions and assisting adaptation to climate change. The plan is to mobilize up to 100 billion US dollars annually as of 2020, with a large proportion of that money managed by the up to 300 staff of the Green Climate Fund Secretariat.

Germany has offered to host the Green Climate Fund in Bonn with the aim of further enhancing Bonn as a headquarters city for international organizations and to support the international efforts to combat climate change and its consequences. To back Germany’s bid, the art exhibition “CLIMATE-CHANGE-MINDS” was staged in the Federal Foreign Office and highlighted the many faces of climate change.

“Climate policy is an increasingly important part of our preventive foreign policy. Even now we can see the dramatic consequences that climate change and environmental problems can have for the peace and security of entire regions.
In just a few years, Bonn has been transformed into a major United Nations location. The German UN city now has its own distinct profile with a focus on sustainable development and environmental protection. Bonn is therefore the ideal location for the Green Climate Fund. We will actively campaign on the city’s behalf,”

said Guido Westerwelle.

A further aim is to raise Germany’s profile in international environmental policy. Peter Altmaier underscored the relevance of Germany’s new energy strategy in this context:

“The transformation of our energy system gives us a great opportunity to prove that growth and consumption can be successfully decoupled – and not just in industrialized countries but worldwide. The Green Climate Fund is also committed to precisely this goal. We therefore absolutely want the Fund to be a success, and Bonn is the right location for this to happen. I firmly believe that the future belongs to the unified force of economy and ecology combined.”

The German Government would provide a new building costing up to 75 million euros in order to give the Green Climate Fund a productive base in the heart of Europe. Federal Development Minister Dirk Niebel emphasized that:

“Germany will be a strong and reliable partner to the Green Climate Fund when it comes to international climate policy. And Bonn will be a strong host city, providing an unparalleled combination of climate science expertise and practical experience of development cooperation.”

Rival bids have been put forward by Switzerland, Poland, Korea, Namibia and Mexico. The decision on which city will host the Fund will be taken in mid October.

Joint press statement released by the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

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