Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider is taking part in the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) today. The focus of the conference is on the crucial importance of environmental protection and climate action for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the conference, Minister Schneider will meet tech CEOs to send a clear message supporting precautionary protection of the international deep sea. He will also take part in events on circular economy, tackling crimes that affect the environment and sustainable, green finance. The Hamburg Sustainability Conference is one of the world's most important conferences on sustainable development.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider commented: "The UN 2030 Agenda is a promise to humanity of a good life. We have to remain fully committed to environmental protection and climate action. Germany is playing its part and has solutions to offer. This makes us less dependent on scarce resources and more competitive. For example, together with key corporate players we are taking a stand at the HSC against deep-sea exploitation. We simply do not know enough about it. We do not need to extract raw materials from the ocean if we establish intelligent circular economy and, for example, recycle rare metals. This will protect our oceans and make us economically independent."
On the margins of the Hamburg Sustainability Conference and at the initiative of the WWF, the Federal Environment Ministry is bringing together global companies that support the precautionary approach to deep-sea mining – which Germany is strongly advocating – and that promote alternatives. Negotiations are taking place within the International Seabed Authority on a regulatory framework for the potential exploitation of marine mineral resources from the deep sea. Germany – together with currently 42 other countries – is calling for a precautionary pause in approvals for commercial deep-sea mining until a regulatory framework is in place to ensure effective protection of the marine environment against the impacts of such deep sea mining projects.
At the HSC, the Federal Environment Ministry is also sending a strong message in the fight against international crimes that affect the environment. A high-level roundtable organised by the ministry and INTERPOL will bring together representatives of governments, international organisations, civil society and industry to systematically enhance cooperation on tackling transboundary crimes that affect the environment. The Federal Environment Ministry will provide an additional 1.5 million euros for future cooperation under the joint GAIA project.
Another import issue will be discussed by the Green Guarantee Group (GGG). Worldwide, capital is increasingly being invested in green, climate friendly technologies and infrastructure. However, financing the transition remains a challenge for developing countries and emerging economies. Guarantees are a good instrument for risk sharing. Increasing their use is a priority of the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), which the Federal Environment Ministry supports. At the HSC, the GGG will discuss how to leverage further synergies for green finance and which experiences from state export credit agencies are transferable. The Federal Environment Ministry will provide the Green Guarantee Company with 35 million euros. This funding will enable the world’s first ever private provider of green guarantees to secure large volumes of private finance of up to 250 million euros for climate action, adaptation and resilience.