Environment

Environment

Our climate

Global warming is changing our lives. Droughts and flood disasters threaten millions of people. With the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the international community is trying to take countermeasures. Expectations are high for COP23, the international follow-up UN-conference that will take place from 6 to 17 November 2017 in Bonn, Germany. Learn more about what KfW is doing to fight climate change and its effects.

Image-Reference

On our website, pictures taken, among others, by the following photographers/photo agencies are used:

Agentur photothek.net, Deutsche Messe Hannover, Andreas Arnold, Jörg Böthling, Dominik Butzmann, Carsten Costard, Susanne Esche, Charlie Fawell, Rendel Freude, Torsten George, Gaby Gerster, David Greedy, Peter Himsel, Barbara Högner, Frank Homann, Fred Hoogervorst, Steffen Jagenburg (BRANSCH EUROPE), Thomas Klewar, Studio Kohlmeier , Florian Kopp, Georg Lopata, Jürgen Lösel, Kirsten Milhahn, Rüdiger Nehmzow, Rolf Obertreis, Rubén Arnaldo Farina Ortiz, Holger Peters, Joachim Röttgers, Mika Schmidt, Bernhard Schurian, Jens Steingässer, Pietro Sutera, Uwe Tölle, Jan Zappner.

Fotolia.com: amandare, Yuri Arcurs, Kitch Bain, Ingo Bartussek, Sergio Donà, drizzd, Dmitry Ersler, eyewave, Zoltán Futó, Eric Gevaert, Fotolia XXV, Friedberg, goodluz, Dirk Hoffmann, imageteam, Christian Jung, Abdelhamid Kalai, Sergej Khakimullin, Vladimir Kolobov, krizz7, Kzenon, lumen-digital, marog-pixcells, Mindwalker, Miredi, mirpic, Nebuto, Tino Neitz, Christian Pedant, Franz Pfluegl, prognone, Gina Sanders, Henry Schmitt, spree berlin, SVLuma, Kheng Guan Toh, tom, Torbz, typomaniac, VRD, Joachim Wendler, Sreedhar Yedlapati.

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Energy transition 2.0

Rita Feinkohl and Ludger Sens can both supply and receive mains power. They live in a KfW Efficiency Houses 40 Plus. Thanks to their digital connections, they are already equipped for swarming – one of the most important concepts for the future.

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Forest conservation pays off

Around one-fifth of the world's CO₂ emissions arise because forests are destroyed and the carbon that they store is released.That is why protecting forests is key to protecting the climate. KfW expert Christiane Ehringhaus explains how an innovative financing approach is supporting the international efforts.

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Landscape with power poles and wind wheels

Smart grids

Unfortunately, green electricity is only produced when the wind blows or the sun shines. This means power consumers need to adjust. With the help of price signals, new intelligent data networks can help to use energy when it is created.

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Green living in Mexico

More affordable, energy-efficient living quarters become more and more important. Mexico is no exception. With DEG's, support, Mexico-based Vinte is building nearly 2,000 eco-friendly houses and flats for low and middle-income earners.

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Energy-efficient construction and refurbishment

Heating, hot water, light and cooling: buildings account for 35% of total energy consumption in Germany. Energy-efficient windows, modern heating, new cooling systems and LED lighting all contribute to saving energy and money. This Special highlights particularly smart solutions.

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Aerial photo Ouarzazate

COP23 Special: Renewable energy

More and more electricity is being generated from renewable energy sources - not just in Germany, but also increasingly in developing countries and emerging economies. This edition of our COP23 Special is dedicated to wind, solar and hydropower. An interactive map shows the progress the individual countries have made.

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Peatlands in Russia

Restoring peatlands in Russia

Frank Mörschel heads up KfW's award-winning project to rewet bogs in Russia. In our interview he explains why the wetlands are so important for the global climate.

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Interactive world map of renewable energy

Global green electricity

Renewable energy sources play a significant role in mitigating climate change With a mere click, our updated interactive world map shows the green electricity each country generates from solar power, wind energy and hydropower.

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Solar power from the desert

Morocco is harnessing this potential to free itself from fossil fuels with concentrated solar power plants. This is exemplary from an emerging country, and a bold step that is supported by international donors like KfW.

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Woman walking in the streets in Potsdam-Drewitz

An international role model

After starting life as prefabricated high rise blocks in the final days of East Germany, this neighbourhood soon fell into drab disrepair. Thanks to a brave project developer, it has now found a new lease of life as a low-emission garden village: Potsdam-Drewitz.

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Our planet earth

Our expectations for COP23

Millions of people whose lives are already threatened by droughts and catastrophic floods today have high hopes for COP 23. Five experts from KfW talk about the types of signals and tone that will be set at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn.

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Flood in Bangladesh

KfW's climate commitment

KfW is the largest environmental bank in Germany. Our video produced on the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference 2017 gives you an overview of KfW’s international climate projects.

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Industrial chimney

Global CO₂ emissions

Despite the Paris Agreement, CO₂ emissions continue to rise in a number of countries. They are the primary cause of global warming. Industrial countries and emerging economies are the main sources of emissions. Our interactive world map shows the CO₂ emissions of each country – in a single click.

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Tomato plants from Westhof Bio

Energy-efficient companies

The energy transition is not possible without fostering energy efficiency. Many companies have already recognised the opportunities and have invested in energy-saving and environmentally-friendly technologies. This special features some examples.

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Calving of glaciers

Our climate

On 27 March, the motto is once again "Lights out! Climate protection on! As a responsible bank, KfW is participating for the 11th time in the global "Earth Hour", which was launched by the World Wildlife Fund For Nature (WWF) in 2007. With the projects presented in the dossier, KfW is helping countries around the world to adapt to the consequences of climate change and to implement international climate goals.

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onshore wind farm and solar park

Climate protection with green bonds

The battle against climate change will be impossible to win without private funds. How green bonds work and why KfW Group is investing huge sums in them.

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Green logistics

The REWE Group runs one of Germany's most cutting-edge logistics centres. A solar unit on the roof and a separate cogeneration unit are just two of the many measures that the company has applied to help the company cut its CO₂ emissions in half by 2022 as compared to 2006.

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As if by magic

Long Beach, California has one of the largest ports in the world. Several dozen automated guided vehicles from Germany are used to transport containers. They are battery-powered and run without a driver.

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Clean water at fair prices

Frank Jacobs and his team at Cologne company mft developed an innovative water treatment plant for a Columbian village in La Guajira.

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Betterspace founders

Hotels of the future

It all started with intelligent heating control systems. Today, Betterspace offers an extensive portfolio for the digitalisation of hotels. The portrait of a start-up that continues to be in demand, even in times of corona crisis.

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Water risks

Engineer Jens Hönerhoff has developed the globally unique Water Risk Filter with World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). The tool helps companies in making investment decisions.

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Uwe D’Agnone is founder of Creapaper.

Better paper

Uwe D'Agnone has developed an alternative procedure to manufacture paper which helps protect resources in the sense of a circular economy: his company Creapaper makes paper and cardboard from grass. Large companies already use it as packaging material for online trade.

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Drought in Africa

When the rain fails

Many African countries are struggling with the consequences of climate change and global warming: more frequent droughts. An innovative form of drought insurance has successfully completed its test run. KfW and Agence Française de Développement support the project.

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Woman cooking on biogas stove

Smoke-free cooking

Cooking over an open fire is dangerous. Every year, millions of people are killed by toxic smoke. Biogas stoves help to protect the health of mainly women and children. A report from Bangladesh and Nepal.

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A little boy is crossing flooded grounds in Bangladesh

Protected by schools and roads

In Bangladesh, it is possible to see how development cooperation and flood control can be perfectly combined. KfW financed the construction of protective structures along the coast and a bridge, amongst other things.

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Power from the own harvest

Municipalities and companies all across Germany are using renewable energy. They are almost completely independent of traditional energy suppliers. Learn more about three inspiring projects, including the municipality of Büsingen, which is relying on a local heating network.

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Germany needs a heating energy transition

The energy transition can only be accomplished if we stop wasting heating energy in our homes, offices and factories. High time to rethink things in Germany.

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Production line Flensburger brewery

Climate protection on the production line

Flensburger Brauerei, a brewery in northern Germany, is investing in energy-efficient technology. With the help of KfW loans, it has once again updated its production facilities. And this is paying off – for the environment and for the company.

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Katja Horneffer, ZDF

Still unpredictable

Global warming is making the weather capricious. ZDF meteorologist Dr Katja Horneffer explains the effects this has on our lives.

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Successful IPO

High-tech company va-Q-tec produces very effective insulation material. Its business founders, two physicists, develop new solutions for challenges of the energy transition. KfW has been there from day one. And with great success too: the start-up has become a listed company.

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