Potential Support for BMBF’s funding priorities “IWRM” and “CLIENT”: Assistance for Implementation - AIM

The protection and sustainable use of water resources plays a decisive role for the future of humankind. That is why the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funds the development of integrated planning tools for the sustainable use of water resources and the adaptation of water technologies to different climatic, ecological, economical and social conditions.

Source: Rudolph / IEEM
International cooperation plays a prominent role within the framework programme “Research for Sustainable Development” of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In the funding priority for “Integrated Water Resources Management” (IWRM) of this programme BMBF, e.g., funds the development of integrated planning tools for the sustainable use of water resources and the adaptation of water technologies to different climatic, ecological, economical and social conditions in developing and transitional countries. The R&D projects are supposed to improve the interdisciplinary and international cooperation of science, public administration and the private sector as well as to contribute to an improvement of the living conditions of the local people. In addition, they are supposed to open up new opportunities for the export of German water and environmental technologies. The funding priority for “International Partnerships for Sustainable Technologies and Services for Climate Protection and the Environment” (CLIENT) is aimed at comparable objectives for transitional countries while covering a broader range of research topics.

 

The main objective of AIM is to improve the chances of implementation and duplication of the technical and conceptual solutions developed by the R&D projects in the partner countries. The mutual development of application-oriented, economically and ecologically beneficial solutions by science, business and especially governmental authorities of the partner country plays a crucial role for this purpose. However, in many cases, e.g., the IWRM concepts developed will necessitate significant infrastructure investments, for example in the areas of water collection and wastewater disposal. However, this step is not part of the projects themselves, with the possible exception of individual pilot plants. The problem is that the public and private sectors in the affected countries are hardly ever able to raise the necessary investment funds on their own. For this reason, the International Bureau of the BMBF (IB), e.g., provides advice aimed at ensuring that the project results can be taken into account in the preparation of relevant infrastructure projects of bilateral or multilateral development banks, such as KfW Entwicklungsbank or the Asian Development Bank. The possibility of an implementation through private sector exposure supported by the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) or of taking advantage of synergies with multilateral funding programmes, for example those of the EU or the UN, is also being investigated. The BMBF, the responsible project management agencies and the IB also support the project partners in establishing contacts to and cooperating with ministries, planning authorities and other relevant government bodies in the affected countries as well as with the German Embassies.

 

Announcement

Announcement of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF): CLIENT

Contact Persons

  • Dr. Andreas Suthhof

    • Senior scientific officer: IWRM
    • Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1414
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1444
    • E-Mail-Adresse: andreas.suthhof@dlr.de

  • Stephanie Lorek

    • Senior scientific officer: CLIENT
    • Heinrich-Kohnen-Str. 1
    • 53227 Bonn
    • Telefonnummer: +49 228 3821-1849
    • Faxnummer: +49 228 3821-1444
    • E-Mail-Adresse: stephanie.lorek@dlr.de