Grazing buffalos, Namibia

Biodiversity

    How KfW works to nurture biodiversity all over the world

    Diverse financial instruments to combat the loss of species and ecosystems

    KfW is strongly committed to the conservation of biodiversity. It is one of the main international donors for biodiversity when measured in financial instruments such as promotional loans and grants. In total, it currently provides EUR 4 billion for biodiversity – and this figure increases annually.

    As a bank committed to responsibility, KfW promotes forest conservation, sustainable utilisation and nature conservation areas as well as marine and coastal protection, among other things. In total, it contributes to the protection of areas in around 50 countries, with a total area of about 2 million square kilometres – an area more than five times larger than Germany. In 2023, KfW promoted sustainable nature conservation in developing countries and emerging economies with around EUR 515 million. It supports approx. 800 protected areas worldwide.

    International cooperation

    Illustration zu Biodiversität: Personen beobachten von einem Boot aus Elefanten

    KfW works with partner countries, large nature conservation organisations and non-governmental organisations to preserve biodiversity. There is a diverse product portfolio as well as strategic partnerships, such as with the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), the World Nature Conservation Organisation IUCN and the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, for example.

    KfW and its partners jointly pursue the goal of protecting and preserving natural habitats as extensively as possible. Inclusion of the rights and needs of the local population is in any case a central means and objective.

    Making an impact with a wide range of instruments

    KfW contributes to the protection of biodiversity with various financing instruments. To this end, KfW analyses impact indicators specifically relating to biodiversity, such as the size of the areas protected by the partner countries.

    KfW…

    • finances development projects in the countries of the global south on behalf of the German Federal Government,
    • implements close to 70% of the funds for biodiversity from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ),
    • advises German companies on sustainable investments in developing countries and emerging economies, including on the topic of biodiversity, for example, in infrastructure projects,
    • finances and advises medium-sized agricultural companies in Latin America on resource-conserving production and the protection of biodiversity,
    • operates globally, because wherever in the world the production of energy from renewable sources is expanded, energy efficiency is increased or investments are made in environmental protection measures and this has a positive effect on the global climate and the environment,
    • supports German and European companies in their transformation projects with medium- and long-term financing solutions,
    • offers its customers various options for sustainable financing.

    Group-wide biodiversity roadmap

    KfW is developing the “biodiversity roadmap”, which is relevant for national and international business. The aim is to develop a group-wide strategy to strengthen the positive impacts in all relevant business areas, and to reduce negative impacts in new business and biodiversity-related risks.

    Examples of projects

    Amazon Fund

    The fund in Brazil provides additional funds to combat deforestation. It supports projects that are focused on protected areas and sustainable use of resources. Beneficiaries are population groups that include indigenous communities and smallholder farmers. KfW has been working with the Amazon Fund for ten years and has provided EUR 90 million since then. In 2023 we committed another EUR 43 million to Brazil for forest conservation and reforestation.

    Further information
    eco.business Fund

    The fund that KfW helped to establish supports companies that operate environmentally sustainable production processes, for example, by saving water or avoiding deforestation. Starting in Latin America and now also active in Africa, it contributes to the sustainable management of 9,000 square kilometres of agricultural land. In Latin America, private investment now accounts for 44% of the total volume. Since it was established, the fund has been able to disburse loans in Latin America in the amount of around EUR 3 billion.

    Further information
    Blue Action Fund

    This funds marine conservation projects such as those off the coasts of Ecuador, Mozambique, Indonesia or Cambodia, for example. Sweden and France are financing partners. The Blue Action Fund currently has endowment capital of over EUR 190 million

    Further information
    Vegetable and fruit producer Virù

    In addition to making long-term financing available, KfW has provided the Peruvian company with business support services to advise on the transformation towards more efficient, low-emission and resource-conserving production over recent years. Protecting biodiversity is also part of this.

    Further information

    Further information

    KfW Development Bank

    The business sector KfW Development Bank finances development cooperation projects and programmes around the world on behalf of the German Federal Government.

    Find out more

    DEG

    We finance and support private companies that are active in developing countries and emerging economies. They can thus develop successfully, ensure local value creation and create local opportunities.

    To the DEG website

    KfW IPEX-Bank

    KfW IPEX-Bank supports the German and European economies with project and export finance. Our core areas are export industry, climate protection, infrastructure and securing raw materials.

    To the KfW IPEX-Bank website

    Status: 22 August 2024