First projects approved for IKI Medium Grants

From more than 200 project outlines received, 11 were selected to submit a funding application for measures aimed at protecting the climate or biodiversity in developing and emerging countries.

After the first launch of the IKI Medium Grants call for proposals in 2020, 11 projects were approved for the submission of a detailed project proposal for a total funding volume of 6.4 million euros as part of International Climate Initiative (IKI).

With 204 outlines submitted, the first call for proposals for the IKI Medium Grants amassed a wide variety of innovative ideas for projects. Overall, 138 implementing organisations competed for this funding, which will be awarded for the first time this year.

The spectrum of topics ranged from biodiversity in Kenya and Peru to sustainable transport in Ghana and the Philippines, and green recovery financing in Brazil and Colombia.

An overview of the selected projects:

1. Action from the local population to protect Nyekweri Forest, Trans Mara sub-county, Kenya
2. Protection and regeneration of the high Andean Puna grasslands and forest at the treeline of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru
3. Biodiversity Finance Accelerator Southern Africa, Zambia and Malawi
4. Conservation working in harmony with agroforestry production in rural communities, Nepal
5. Funding a green recovery: mobilisation of long-term finance for economic development promoting biodiversity and the special role played by sustainable finance taxonomies in the funding of biodiversity-linked finance products – Brazil and Colombia
6. Green Youth Labs: training programme for innovation and a socially equitable energy transition, Vietnam
7. ‘Communities of Practice’ as a driver for a bottom-up energy transition in Nigeria
8. Improving energy efficiency in the building sector by the use of renewable raw materials from agroforestry systems, Uzbekistan
9. Electric cargo bikes ‘Made in Ghana’ – driving the transition to sustainable transport in Ghana
10. SPARK: introduction of sustainable transport campaigns for climate-friendly cities, Philippines
11. Urban climate action: pilot projects according to Paris Agreement article 6 in Indonesia and Thailand

As part of the selection procedure for small-scale projects, IKI Medium Grants supplement the thematic and country-specific selection procedures for International Climate Initiative (IKI). The German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) uses the IKI Medium Grants to provide targeted finance for smaller social players active in climate/biodiversity protection. The IKI Medium Grants funding programme is aimed especially at implementing organisations based in Germany whose activities are focused on international collaboration together with their local partners in developing and emerging countries. The programme is organised and run by Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH on behalf of the BMU.