Flanders invests 1.7 million euros in climate adaptation

Flemish minister of the Environment Zuhal Demir is making 1.7 million euros available for international climate adaptation projects in developing countries. This will take place via the Adaptation Fund of the United Nations. The N-VA wants to create a win-win situation in the future by investing preferably in projects in which Flemish entrepreneurs are involved.

Preparing for climate change

The Adaptation Fund of the United Nations was set up in 2001 to finance adaptation projects in the developing countries that signed up to the Kyoto protocol. Since 2010, the fund has spent over 510 million euros in order to prepare vulnerable communities in developing countries for climate change. In total, more than six million people have been reached.

Shouldering responsibility

With the investment of 1.7 million euros, Flanders is making its contribution in the execution of international commitments. “Flanders is not shirking the challenges. Not abroad either. Co-shouldering responsibility outside our own borders is therefore not illogical for a region like Flanders.” Nevertheless Flanders is seeking additional alternatives to take part in international climate financing, alongside the fund of the United Nations.

Win-win

“We also want to invest our resources in international projects in which Flemish companies take part. From 2020 on, we are therefore going to try to select good projects ourselves. This makes a win-win possible: we make our contribution to good international climate projects and comply with international commitments, but also cause the chances of success to increase for the foreign projects of our own entrepreneurs.”