Collaboration for sustainable development between Germany and Brazil - a close partnership for climate protection and biodiversity
Frankfurt (ots)
- Portfolio: EUR 2 billion
- Focus on renewable energies and the conservation of tropical
forest
- FIFA World Cup stadium in Belo Horizonte with solar roofKfW Development Bank is supporting Brazil in the area of sustainable development on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and other federal ministries. The portfolio of ongoing projects and projects in the pipeline totals EUR 2 billion.
"KfW is offering Brazil support to help meet international climate protection goals. The aim is to conserve unique biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Innovation and modern technology can encourage growth that is in harmony with nature and satisfies social criteria." says Dr Norbert Kloppenburg, member of the KfW Group Executive Board.
One of the two areas of focus is the collaboration with regard to renewable energies and improving energy efficiency. For this area of focus alone there are currently projects totalling more than EUR 1.3 billion that are either underway or in the pipeline. A number of small hydro-power stations and wind farms have already been completed and supply clean energy on a daily basis. At the end of May, a 1 megawatt solar plant is to be officially opened at the headquarters of the South Brazilian energy supplier Eletrosul. This project represents the first large-scale solar plant on the roof of a Brazilian public company and serves as a pilot project that will raise the profile of photovoltaic technology among the Brazilian public. Despite favourable solar irradiation values, this technology is still rarely used.
And in a few days time another KfW financing project will attract attention. As part of the "Solar WM 2014" project (Solar World Cup 2014), the roof of the "Mineirão" stadium at the FIFA World Cup venue in Belo Horizonte will be fitted with a 1.4 megawatt photovoltaic system. Following the completion of studies supported by the advice of GIZ, a number of stadium roof installations have been kicked off and others are planned. Cool shade for spectators and solar energy for stadium operations - the stadium roofs are making their own contribution to a balanced World Cup.
The second main area of focus in terms of the cooperation with Brazil is tropical forest conservation, an area that KfW has been dedicated to since 1995 on behalf of the Federal Government. Not only was KfW one of the pioneers in the protection of Brazil's rainforests, but having currently contributed EUR 366 million it is also the greatest financial contributor and cooperation partner to the Brazilian environmental authorities. The internationally renowned ARPA program (Amazon Region Protected Areas Program) actively protects almost 100 conservation areas covering an area of around 600,000 square kilometres. Besides the designation of national park areas, the programme also focuses on the long-term maintenance of the areas. This helps to effectively combat illegal deforestation. It is thanks in particular to the biodiversity in Brazil with around 1.4 million plant and animal species. The people living in these areas can shape their future in harmony with nature.
Germany and Brazil consider their collaboration for sustainable development an example of modern-day cooperation between an industrialised country and an emerging country.
Further information and materials (texts, videos and photos) are available (in German) at www.kfw.de/brasilien, under the heading "Themen Kompakt Brasilien".
Contact:
KfW, Palmengartenstr. 5 - 9, 60325 Frankfurt
Kommunikation (KOM), Dr. Charis Pöthig,
Tel. +49 (0)69 7431 4683, Fax: +49 (0)69 7431 3266,
E-Mail: presse@kfw.de, Internet: www.kfw.de