Up to 20 million EUR in Funding available for Large-volume Projects

Deadline Date: February 27, 2024

 Donor Name: International Climate Initiative (IKI)

 Grant Size: More than $1 million

The International Climate Initiative (IKI) is seeking applications to address the present challenges in climate action, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation that are currently arising in the context of international climate and biodiversity negotiations.

The IKI finances climate, adaptation and biodiversity projects exclusively in ODA -eligible countries. The aim is to fund projects that pursue holistic approaches across multiple levels and, above all, demonstrate how to practically implement climate action, adaptation and biodiversity conservation on the ground (including policy advice, capacity building, technological cooperation, investment, and local implementation in particular).

Funding Objective and Purpose

• With the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Germany fulfils part of its financial commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement (PA – adopted by the “Act on the Paris Agreement of 12 December 2015” of 28 September 2016) as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) with the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
• The IKI is a central building block for Germany’s international financing measures for climate action, adaptation to the impacts of climate change and biodiversity conservation in emerging and developing countries. To achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C, all countries in the world must achieve a transformation towards greenhouse-gas-neutral societies. For this, the developing and emerging countries need extensive support from industrialised countries. The IKI therefore provides targeted support for developing and emerging countries to achieve the transformation towards a biodiversity-friendly, greenhouse-gas-neutral economy. The core of the IKI is to contribute to the implementation and further development of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
• Through the Thematic Calls, the IKI primarily funds large-volume projects to accelerate the transformation towards a sustainable, biodiversity-friendly, and low-emission economic and supply structure. In particular, the following overarching goals are pursued:
  • The legal framework at the national and sub-national level in partner countries is designed to strengthen emission reduction, adaptation and biodiversity conservation as well as the implementation of this across sectors.
  • The governments of partner countries have appropriately increased the ambition of climate and biodiversity contributions in NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, and/or long-term strategies (LTSs).
  • The IKI makes medium-term contributions to both direct and indirect emission reductions in partner countries.
  • People affected by climate change in IKI partner countries are supported in their adaptation to the impacts of climate change.
  • Ecosystems in IKI partner countries, including coasts and marine areas, are subject to improved conservation practices and sustainable use.
  • The IKI leverages its invested funds to finance climate and biodiversity measures from the public and private sector.

Thematic Priorities

• The following thematic priorities can be selected:
  • Climate-friendly transport: Supporting partner countries in the creation of foundations, strategies, and concrete approaches for climate action and Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) /energy transition in transport (BMWK)
  • Embodied carbon: Decarbonisation of the construction and basic materials industry (BMWK)
  • Flexibilisation of the distribution grids for the integration of high proportions of renewable energies (BMWK)
  • Support to partner countries on the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and carbon pricing for industrial decarbonisation (BMWK)
  • Upscaling of successful mitigation-relevant IKI approaches in the sectors energy, energy efficiency, industry, finance and mobility (BMWK)
  • Closing the loop – circular and resource-efficient management as a driver for climate and environmental protection, especially in G20 emerging economies (BMUV)
  • Climate Information Services – Promotion of regional systems for evidence-based NAP processes to strengthen the resilience of people and ecosystems (BMUV)
  • Protecting, restoring, and strengthening the resilience of mountain peatlands in Latin America as well as peatlands in the Argentinian part of Patagonia (BMUV)
  • Capacities and structures for ambitious biodiversity conservation at the sub-national level (BMUV) 10.
  • Resilience through biodiversity – networking and restoration of protected areas, OECMs, and highly degraded areas in Sub-Saharan Africa (BMUV)
  • From the negotiating table to the high seas: Support for the implementation of the BBNJ Treaty for marine protection (BMUV)
  • Diverse, cultural world-views in equitable conservation approaches (BMUV)
  • Accelerating the energy transition in Sub-Saharan Africa (AA)

Funding Information

• The funding volume provided by the IKI is a minimum of 5 million to a maximum of 20 million EUR per project

Duration

• The maximum duration of funding is eight years. A minimum duration is not specified.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organisations are welcome to apply:
  • Non-governmental organisations,
  • Universities and research institutions,
  • International intergovernmental organisations and institutions (such as development banks),
  • Organisations and programmes of the United Nations
  • Private sector companies.
• Governments of the partner countries are not eligible to apply for IKI funding

Ineligible

• Organisations against which the EU has imposed sanctions are excluded form IKI-funding. In particular, the following are excluded from funding:
  • persons, organisations, or bodies specifically mentioned in the legal acts imposing these sanctions
  • companies owned or controlled by persons, organisations, or bodies subject to EU sanctions
  • companies operating in sectors subject to EU sanctions insofar as the aid would undermine the objectives of the sanctions in question

For more information, visit International Climate Initiative.