UN: Merkel calls urgently to save the rainforest
German Chancellor Angela Merkel made an urgent appeal to save the rainforest not only in the Amazon region, but also in African countries such as the Congo, during a meeting held September 23 on the occasion of the UN climate summit in New York.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks with the participants in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, the Amazon Meeting and the United Nations. Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
DW | Jörg Blank
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Leer en español: ONU: Merkel hace un llamamiento urgente para salvar la selva tropical
"There is a German proverb that says: 'There is nothing good unless you do it,'" Merkel said at a meeting of the "Alliance for the Amazon."
"Let's act, let's intervene for our rainforest in the world. It is very important for the survival of all of us," the president appealed to the heads of state and government.
Merkel was in favor of the participation of indigenous peoples and financial aid to save the rainforest if there are results.
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The chancellor commented that Germany proceeds in this way with Norway in the Amazon Fund created to protect the rainforest in Brazil: it is paid "when it can be shown that deforestation has really been reduced."
Germany pledged at the UN climate summit to allocate an additional 250 million euros (almost US$ 275 million) to protect tropical forests, of which 200 million are for a new World Bank loan program entitled "ProGreen", 30 million for the Central African Forest Initiative and 20 million euros for indigenous forest conservation communities.
