User:EuropeanClimate/sandbox

The European Climate Initiative (EUKI) (German: Europäische Klimaschutzinitiative) is a financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), following a resolution of the German Bundestag. The overriding objective of the EUKI is to promote cooperation within the European Union (EU) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The European Climate Initiative is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the BMU.

The European Climate Initiative finances cross-border climate action projects of public and civil society actors such as non-governmental organisations, scientific institutes and local authorities. Currently (as of July 2019), the EUKI supports and finances 64 projects in 24 EU countries. More than 140 implementing organisations and partners are active in the projects. The funding commitments currently amount to more than 26 million euros. The EUKI serves as the link between the National Climate Initiative (NKI) and the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

History
In November 2016, the German Bundestag decided to finance the European Climate Initiative and make funds available in the 2017 federal budget. The first EU-wide call for project ideas was launched in April 2017. It attracted 67 project proposals and 22 projects were selected for funding. In May 2017, the EUKI Secretariat was opened within the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). A few months later, in September 2017, the first projects got under way.

During the first EUKI Annual Conference in Berlin in February 2018, a second call for ideas was announced. The EUKI then selected 22 proposals for funding from the 85 project outlines submitted. A third call for ideas was launched in March 2019.

In March 2019, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned the European Climate Initiative in her weekly video podcast and complimented the work of the initiative and its projects.

Objectives
The overall objective of the EUKI is to promote cooperation within the European Union to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The work concentrates on three approaches to support public and civil society actors in climate protection and to initiate a transformative change in Europe to reduce greenhouse gases.

Specifically, the EUKI pursues three approaches :


 * Creating awareness and pooling knowledge
 * Building networks and exchanging successful models
 * Capacity development and building bridges to EU funding

Project funding
There are two ways to obtain financial support under the EUKI. Organisations with innovative ideas for climate action can take part in the annual EU-wide call for project ideas. In addition, the Federal Environment Ministry finances certain projects that pursue pre-defined climate policy goals. The target groups for the bilateral and multilateral measures to be financed can be governments, local authorities, civil society, consumers and (if permissible under state aid law) enterprises. The geographical focus is on cooperation with Central, Eastern, South-Eastern and Southern Europe.

Calls for project ideas
Once a year, the EUKI publishes a call for project ideas that gives actors committed to climate change mitigation and cross-border networks within the EU an opportunity to apply for funding. Financing is provided for innovative climate action ideas from non-governmental organisations, public authorities, non-profit enterprises and scientific and educational institutions. The focus is on projects in which partners from two or more EU countries work together. The EUKI supports most of its projects through calls for project ideas.

Federal Environment Ministry tenders
The BMU invites tenders for selected projects and studies. These aim to support direct implementation of agreements with EU partner countries and the climate policy goals of the German Federal Government in Europe. The projects are designed by the BMU in consultation with the partner countries involved within the framework of bilateral initiatives. The BMU also awards contracts within this framework for conducting scientific monitoring and evaluation of the EUKI and for advising the BMU on EU climate policy issues. In contrast to calls for project ideas, the tenders are not restricted to non-profit organisations.

EUKI Academy
In addition to financing projects, the EUKI supports efforts to strengthen methodological, technical and commercial competencies as well as the dissemination of knowledge about climate change mitigation. The EUKI Academy offers further training events in these areas. The EUKI also promotes networking among implementers and in doing so helps to establish a cross-sectoral and cross-border community of practice of experts committed to climate change mitigation.

Thematic focal points and project examples
The European Climate Initiative supports ideas for cross-border EU-wide climate action. The projects are assigned to one of eight thematic areas :


 * Climate policy
 * Energy
 * Buildings and municipalities
 * Mobility
 * Agriculture, soil and forestry
 * Awareness
 * Climate-aligned financing
 * Sustainable economy

Initiatives that have received funding include a project that fosters a just transition in coal regions, measures that raise awareness in schools  , an exchange programme for journalists , dialogue on national and European climate policy  , and efforts to encourage cycling in urban areas.

Resources

 * Webpage of the European Climate Initiative
 * Informationen on EUKI project financing
 * Brochure of the European Climate Initiative
 * Film about the European Climate Initiative
 * Angela Merkel about the European Climate Initiative

Category:Climate change policy Category:Global warming Category:Politics of climate change

Europäische Klimaschutzinitiative