Climate Change Mitigation through Development Cooperation: Contribution of German Development Cooperation to Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Developing Countries

Abstract

The international community has set itself ambitious targets for climate change mitigation in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC, 2015). The most important goal is to limit the global temperature increase to well below 2 °C and, if possible, below 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial times. In order for the objectives to be achieved, a transformational change towards climate-neutral, inclusive, equitable, resilient and sustainable development pathways needs to take place quickly and in the near future (Climate Investment Funds, 2021; IPCC, 2022a: 298; UNFCCC, 2023a). The evaluation examines climate policy interventions by the BMZ, Germany and the members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to mitigate GHG emissions. This includes the scope of Germany’s climate- and mitigation-relevant development finance as well as the scope and distribution of BMZ funds. It also analyses the causal pathways and the climate-relevant effects and impacts of development finance by OECD-DAC member states and specifically Germany.